A Life of Their Own
by Brightbear
Summary: A desperate Leia calls for help. In the past, Padawan Anakin and Padawan Obi-Wan hear her call. As a result the young Jedi find both themselves, and their Masters, dragged into an adventure that will change their lives forever. Revised & completed!
1. Arrival

DISCLAIMER: I'm a poor Uni student... don't sue me... yadda yadda yadda. Star Wars and all the wonderful characters therein belong to George Lucas and some studio. I make no profit, I just get hysterical joy from writing down all the ideas that bounce around in my head. Emalda and the Ekash belong to me. If anybody, including George Lucas, wants to borrow them, they have to ask first.  
RATING: PG-13  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: You only have to have seen the movies for this to make sense. There are spoilers for JA #1-16 and Jedi Search.  
SUMMARY: A desperate Leia calls for help. In the past, Padawan Anakin and Padawan Obi-Wan hear her call. As a result the young Jedi find both themselves, and their Masters, dragged into an adventure that will change their lives forever.  
  
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A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...  
  
STAR WARS:  
A LIFE OF THEIR OWN  
  
With the support of an elderly Obi-Wan  
Kenobi, Jedi Master Yoda and the eleventh  
hour redemption of their father, Anakin Skywalker,  
the Skywalker twins overthrew the evil Emperor and ushered  
in a new era of peace. Luke Skywalker is now a Jedi Master. As  
the last remaining Jedi, he is collecting potential students to  
carry on the Jedi legacy. His sister Leia is a Minister in the Senate  
of the New Republic. While she lives on the planet of Corrusant with her  
husband and three children, she is often sent on diplomatic missions to convince  
isolated planets to join forces with the New Republic...  
  
* * * * *  
  
Princess Leia Organa stretched. Under her formal gown, the muscles in her neck and arms ached and protested at the sudden movement. Several long weeks of fruitless negotiations with the Ekash people had taken their toll on the New Republic's Minister of State. It was testimony to the strategic importance of the planet that the New Republic had sent such a high-ranking representative but the Ekash remained stubbornly unimpressed. In fact, Leia was beginning to think that the Ekash didn't have any intention of joining the New Republic. Unfortunately, they were equally reluctant to call a total end to negotiations. Leia had alternatively praised, threatened, cajoled and listened for hours on end but didn't seem to be making any progress at all.  
  
She flopped ungracefully into a chair in her temporary quarters and sighed. Her head was beginning to throb with a headache born of sleepless nights. Leia's body needed to rest but her mind was far too active to allow it. Her aides had all retired for the night and Leia was alone in her rooms. The furniture was sparse but that was normal for the Ekash. They were a people who loved to move about, to be active and too much furniture simply led to accidents. A lazy, slovenly Ekash was almost unheard of. In an attempt to distract herself from what was fast becoming a political nightmare, Leia began to think about her twin brother Luke. To Leia, Luke had always been a source of comfort and calm.  
  
"Not quite always," Leia corrected herself.  
When she had first met Luke, he had been young and rash but she had liked him. He had come a long way since the eager young man who had stumbled into Leia's prison cell to rescue her. It was only through time that he had begun to project an atmosphere of calm wherever he went. Even more recent still, his eyes had begun to look haunted, his face showing the strain of being the only Jedi Knight left in the New Republic.  
  
At this very moment, Luke was at the other end of the galaxy, searching out others with the potential to become Jedi Knights. Leia herself had the potential, had inherited it just as strongly as Luke had, from their father - Anakin Skywalker. She reflected ruefully that even if she never completed enough training to become a Jedi Knight herself, leaving her the ability might be the only decent thing her father had ever done for her.  
"Her biological father," she corrected herself again.  
Raised as the daughter of Bail Organa, she had come face to face with her biological father many times as his enemy but not once as his daughter. Leia wasn't even sure if he had ever known. He had known about Luke, had chased him across the galaxy, tortured his friends and set traps for him. Maybe it was just as well he had never known.  
  
Leia shifted herself out of her chair, discarded her boots and knelt on the ground, ignoring the creases appearing in her gown. She carefully relaxed her muscles and tried to quieten her thoughts. She reached out to the Force, feeling it flow around her as Luke had taught her. She could feel the Force pulsing, flowing through her own body. It connected her to everything around her and if she listened hard enough, it almost seemed to sing to her. A stab of urgency entered her thoughts and Leia was on her feet, with her blaster in her hand, before she was truly aware of her surroundings. When she opened her eyes, her quarters were still empty and there was nothing in the room that deserved such panic. Still, Luke had told her that the Force would warn her of danger. She just had never felt it before.  
  
She stood stone still for a full minute, listening before she was able to hear the footsteps approaching her door. The warning from the Force tugged at her again, stronger this time. Leia looked around the rooms. There were no other doors out of her rooms, only a large window along one side. She pulled the window open, noting that it was so well oiled as to be silent.   
"Perfect for a stealthy escape... or a midnight assassination," Leia thought to herself.  
She edged out on the window ledge. The ledge jutted out from the wall and was just longer than the window itself. There was enough room for her to perch on the ledge, out of sight of anyone in the room. She moved quietly, pulling the window shut behind her. The bricks were cold under her bare feet.  
  
Leia was barely out of sight before she heard the door to her room open. Three pairs of footsteps entered the room.  
"Minister?"  
Leia recognized the voice as belonging to the Head of the Ekash Guard, Natheb. She relaxed, chiding herself for her fear. She was about to call out in answer when one of Natheb's companions spoke. This second voice belonged to one of the servants that worked in the kitchens. It was a hard cynical voice belonging to detached young Ekash woman.  
"Think she knows?"  
"Sssh, Emalda. I'm sure she's around here somewhere," interrupted a third voice quickly.  
Leia recognised it as Natheb's brother, Georeb. Georeb was the liason between the Ekash government and the Ekash Guard.  
  
"She probably sensed something..." continued Emalda.  
There was silence for a moment and Leia desperately wished she could see into the room. After spending so much time in Natheb's company, she could almost see the frown cross his face.  
  
Although slightly shorter than most humans, beneath the surface Ekash anatomy was strikingly similar. The expressions were the same, as were their tastes in food and their native language was an old archaic version of the language now spoken around the galaxy, Basic. At first sight, though, the lengths of golden hair that covered most of their bodies disguised the similarities. Since they outwardly resembled wookies, the Ekash had often been subject to the same insults and discrimination. Their eyes were also strikingly different as well. Their eyes were always brown with a slit pupil, like a cat.  
  
"Emalda, there is no way she could have known," Natheb said disapprovingly.  
"If she's as Force sensitive as I think she is..."  
"Don't start with that Force crap, Emalda," snapped Georeb.   
"If you don't believe in that Force crap, why are we doing what we're doing?"  
A note of challenge had crept into Emalda's voice.  
"I suppose its just a coincidence that if we use her, we don't have to use you anymore," Natheb answered, accusingly.  
  
Leia looked down from her ledge. She was at least three stories up from the ground. Below her, purple gardens stretched out towards a scenic lake, which drained into a nearby river. The lake then snaked its way through the purple orchards and into the hills. It would be a perfect escape route - if Leia could get to the lake. She looked at the walls beside her, searching for inspiration. A drainpipe ran down the wall by her side. It looked rusty and a few of the screws were loose but it might hold just long enough to get Leia to the ground. Leia slipped a hand beneath her gown to feel the reassuring presence of her blaster. Her personal blaster had saved her life more times than Leia would have liked to admit. She was interrupted from her planning when Emalda finally spoke again.  
  
"I might be able to sense her," said Emalda. "I'm the most Force sensitive person we've got... for the moment."   
There was a layer of bitterness in Emalda's tone that made Leia shudder. She definitely did not want to be the Force sensitive that took Emalda's place. Leia swallowed and reached out to wrap one hand around the drainpipe. The pipe creaked noisily.  
  
"What was that?" asked Natheb.  
"She's outside!" came Emalda's biting cry. "She knows! She knows!"  
"Sound the alarm," shouted Georeb.  
Leia launched herself off the ledge. She grasped the drainpipe and scrambled down it as fast as she could. The metal dug into her fingers and toes, her knees scrapping against the wall as she moved. The pipe trembled and buckled under her weight.  
  
She was a couple of metres from the ground when the pipe finally gave way. Leia landed flat on her back on the ground. She rolled smoothly to her feet and was running and stumbling before she was even upright. Behind her she could hear Natheb and Georeb shouting angrily. Emalda was wailing in frustration. The wail was so full of despair, Leia almost stopped dead in her tracks... almost. Leia sprinted across the gardens, ignoring the plants that were catching at her gown.  
She reached the lake but was uncomfortably aware that she was still out in the open. She took cover in the orchards as she ran, aiming for the river. Leia had seen a dock at the river mouth on one of her earlier tours. Perhaps now it could provide her with an escape route.   
  
Leia was almost there. The dock and its three small watercraft were in view, when three Ekash guards came up behind her. Leia rolled across the forest floor to avoid blaster stun bolts and returned fire from her own blaster. Although well trained, the Ekash Guards had never been in a real war and were no match for a battle-hardened rebel. As the last went down, Leia wondered briefly why they were using stun bolts. The next second, the answer occurred to her and she shivered. They wanted her and her Force ability, intact.  
  
Leia ran for a small waterbike, leaping aboard and releasing the tether holding it to the bank. She aimed her blaster at the other two and blasted the steering columns. The craft was like a water borne version of the speeder bikes she'd ridden on Endor and it wasn't long before she was speeding away. The spray whipped at the exposed soles of her barefeet as she shot over the water. As she leaned around the corners, the waterbike rolled with her. She knew instinctively that if she threw her weight too far the bike would go into a full roll, pitching her into the chilly water.  
  
Now that she had time to think, Leia was starting to worry again. What had become of the small party of aides that had accompanied her to the Ekash Homeworld? As far as Leia knew, none of them were Force sensitive so that meant that they would either be ignored or disposed of. She shrugged off that thought. For not the first time in her life, Leia found herself wishing for the help of Luke, or even the scandalous comments of her husband, Han Solo. She reflected grimly that these were wishes that would not be granted and, as was so often the case, the former Princess of Alderaan could rely only on herself. Luke was busy and Han was with their twin children, Jacen and Jaina.  
  
She swept a bend in the river and a stone structure swung into view. It looked old and crumbling. On the far side, Leia could just make out the dull shine of a painted cross. She could only see it for a few seconds before it was obscured from view. It was long enough to recognize the markings of a landing pad. That raised the possibility of a hangar and a spacecraft. In such a disused place, a working spacecraft was distinctly unlikely. However, a few missions aboard Han Solo's beloved Millennium Falcon, and Leia had learnt more about emergency repairs than she had ever wished to know. The odds were that there was something she could patch together enough to get her off the planet, at the very least.  
  
Making her decision, Leia accelerated towards the building. Pulling up to the bank, Leia beached the waterbike and slid out of the seat. The ground was less stable than she'd expected and the rocks beneath her feet shifted, pitching Leia backwards into the water. The chill water surrounded her, leaching precious heat from her body. With a gasp, Leia broke the surface. Swearing in four diplomatic languages, she hauled herself back onto the bank. More cautious of her footing, this time she took more notice of her surroundings. Up this close, the landing pad was out of sight. In front of her stood the old building, leaning precariously to one side. Around the sides of the building, the trees were thick. The waterbike would not fit through the forest if she tried to go around but the bike was not well suited to traveling overland anyway.  
  
At that moment, approaching voices drove her into the nearest hiding place she could find - the old building. She hoped she hadn't been seen but voices soon confirmed her fears.  
"She went into the mine!" yelled one guard.  
"After her!" called a second voice.  
"Are you mad?" asked the first voice. "You know what they say about that place? Tell Natheb that she drowned, 'cause I'm certainly not going in there after her."  
"Superstitious fool! There's no such thing as ghosts."  
"After you, then."  
  
Leia did not wait to see how brave the guards turned out to be and ran deeper into the building. Enough sunlight filtered in the doorway for her to see that the only way out was either the way she'd come in or down an antiquated old lift, which was rusting quietly in a corner. Hurrying into the lift, Leia's cold stiff fingers levered open the control panel. She randomly pressed a button in the dark. The lift groaned and shuddered alarmingly before finally relenting to programmed movement. Beneath flickering lights, Leia found herself shivering again and reached a hand out for the comforting presence of her blaster. It was gone. It must have been lost in the river, leaving Leia defenseless.  
  
As if to deliberately interrupt her momentary panic, the metal lift shrieked in protest as it ground to a halt. The doors powered open to reveal an impenetrable darkness. Raising a hand to steady herself on the lift wall, Leia's fingertips brushed against plastic. In the sketchy light, she could see a row of miners helmets latched onto the lift wall. Lights were mounted on the top but most of the glass had been shattered long ago. She was forced to examine four helmets before she found one with a working light. She strapped the helmet tightly to her head, crushing her delicately arranged hairstyle. Taking a deep breath, Leia moved out into the darkness of the mine.  
  
Even with the light the helmet provided, Leia could only see a couple of feet in front of her. She had been stumbling along for five minutes before she paused to nurse her bleeding feet. As she leant over to examine them, she began to feel uneasy. Remembering the prophetic nature of her earlier feelings, she straightened up and backed up against the wall. She strained her eyes, trying to see into the darkness while her feeling of unease grew even stronger. Leia remembered Han's stories about the creatures he had seen in the mines of Kessel. She had no wish to run into anything living, no matter how harmless they might be.  
  
Leia's eyes began to ache, her heartbeat unnaturally loud in the silence. She began to slowly walk deeper into the mine until her nerve shattered and she began to run. She scrambled about the rocks, arms flailing, totally unaware of where she was headed or what exactly it was that she was running from. As her panic began to ease, Leia slowed down to a jog. She looked over her shoulder, peering into the darkness, straining to see if there were any pursuers. At that moment, Leia's foot collided with a rock and she fell flat on her face. She raised a shaking hand to her forehead. The helmet had protected her head from the rough ground but the strap was starting to dig into her neck. Gagging, Leia tugged at the clip until the strap loosened.  
  
Leia shut her eyes as her breathing slowed and warmth spread out across her frozen limbs. Leia opened her eyes again and the first thing that her eyes focused on was a long gash down her forearm. As she stared at it, slightly bemused, her arm began to tingle. Then, gently, the edges of the tattered skin began to twitch and move. The gash closed over, leaving a faint pink scar in its wake. More warmth flooded into her arm and the scar disappeared.  
  
Leia sat up and looked around her. The warmth she was feeling was not coming from within her but was flowing through the tunnel like a river. Wiping her eyes with tired hands, she set out to trace the source. She staggered gingerly forward a few steps before she realized that her feet were no longer bleeding but fully healed. She hadn't gone far when she found it. Set into the tunnel wall, level with Leia's eyes, was a row of huge glowing jewels. The closest glittered blue, then purple and then flushed green. Streaks of gold were laced through it like sparks. Each was about a metre wide and far too smooth to be naturally occurring. Leia reached out towards it. As if in anticipation of her touch, the jewel flashed purple repeatedly. Leia paused and the jewel reverted to a tame blue-green glow. The warmth radiating from the jewel was pleasant and comforting. It was like coming home to an old friend.   
  
Chiding herself for being so sentimental, Leia placed her palm firmly against the jewel to prove to herself that it was nothing more than a pretty crystal. The instant she touched it, the jewel burst to life. The pulsing colours sweeping across its surface made Leia's breath catch in her throat. The streaks of gold became a current, flowing into Leia's hand. With them came the dreamy warmth, the maddeningly strong sense of calm and the Force. The sensations overwhelmed Leia's senses, her eyelids fluttering closed.  
  
After a minute, the accumulating warmth began to become uncomfortable. Leia wrestled back enough self-possession to rip her hand away from the jewel. As the amazing effect of the jewel faded, Leia was once again aware of her surroundings - the damp dress, the rough rocks beneath her feet and the all-encompassing silence. Her helmet light began to flicker. Although the glow of the jewel illuminated this corridor, without the helmet light Leia would not be able to see her way back. Leia knelt on the ground, sifting through the loose rocks, hoping for some abandoned tool she could use. The glow from the jewels started to dim. Irritated, Leia looked up. The nearest jewel was angrily flashing red and the warmth it had been generating began to fade.  
  
There came a sound from down the tunnel. A soft, slithering whisper that sent shivers down Leia's spine. It raised memories of rasping breath and a feared black shape. A scraping sound echoed down the corridor from the opposite direction. As Leia's whirled to face it, her helmet light flickered and died. Total darkness flooded in. As her eyes adjusted to the faint glow of the jewels, Leia wrestled her breathing back under control and forced herself to be silent. The temperature seemed to have dropped a few degrees. The jewels continued to pulse red but more faintly, as if they were hiding in fear. Leia's feeling of unease increased.  
  
At the far end of the corridor, a gray mist materialized out of the blackness. Emitting a bleached gray light of its own, it began to coast down the corridor towards her. As it approached, the air became colder, Leia's breath coming out in clouds of vapour. The New Republic's Minister of State kept her eyes locked on the mist, as if she could stare it into submission. It seemed to work as the mist hesitated but then started towards her again. Taking her eyes off the mist, Leia glanced behind her. A second mist had formed at the other end of the corridor.  
  
Leia had nowhere to run and no idea how to fight. Leia ruthlessly forced herself to calm down. It was not long before she presented the stoical face of the former Rebel she had once been. An impenetrable facade that not even Darth Vader had managed to crack completely. Inside, however, Leia wished fiercely that she had committed herself to learning the Jedi arts from Luke. Even though Leia would not be overcome without a fight, she instinctively knew that this was an evil that only a Jedi Knight could defeat.  
  
The mists advanced slowly, inevitably, their slow speed almost painful. Leia backed up against the wall of the tunnel. Her fingers brushed against one of the jewels. She could feel the power coursing beneath her fingers but she did not know how to use it. Leia realized that she was going to die. She thought of the twins, bright little faces that would loose their mother before they really knew her. She thought of her sweet little baby and his young laugh, Luke and his deep affection for her but most of all Leia thought of her husband. The scoundrel of a smuggler that had rescued her, in body and soul.  
  
"Han?" Leia whimpered.  
Even if Han had been there, there was nothing he would be able to do. He was no Jedi.  
"Luke?" called Leia, her voice stronger now. "Luke, please."  
She prayed he would hear her like she had heard him at Cloud City. There was no reply, no familiar voice answering her across the void of space. Luke was on the other side of the galaxy, dealing with his own problems.  
  
One of the mists had almost reached her, shadowy tendrils snaking out to touch her skin. In desperation, Leia called out to another Jedi - one she knew was dead but she called anyway.  
"Obi-Wan Kenobi!"  
The mist touched her, ice cold, passing straight through her skin and into her body. Whispers and murmurs filled her mind, the warmth leaching from her limbs. One hand still clinging to a jewel provided warm respite from the cruel onslaught but Leia knew the cold would soon overtake her. Her tormented mind latched onto the only other Jedi she knew of, also long dead.  
"Father?" she gasped weakly.  
The jewel surged beneath her. It seemed to Leia as if it was trying to help, trying to answer her desperate cries.  
  
* * * * *  
  
More than fifty years earlier, Jedi Master Mace Windu was striding down the corridors of the Jedi Temple. As he walked, he contemplated the view from the Temple Windows. The bustling, blinking world of Corrusant, capital of the Intergalactic Republic, stared back at him. No sound penetrated the thick windows but as it had been its home since he was little, he knew the sounds well enough.  
  
Moving on from the cityscape, his gaze wandered back to the corridor in front of him. Ahead of him, two Jedi emerged from a door into the corridor and began to walk down the corridor. Mace could not see their faces but he would have recognized them anywhere. A Council Member like Mace held meetings with Jedi Knights and Masters almost every day. He knew many of the 10 000 Jedi Knights by sight but one of these had been his friend since childhood. Mace amused himself by studying them from a distance.  
  
Twenty-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi walked beside his Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn. Obi-Wan was shorter and younger than Qui-Gon but old enough to have already reached his full height. From this distance, only his compact build betrayed the years of Jedi training. Mace knew that at this moment, Obi-Wan's clear blue eyes would be totally focused on Qui-Gon. Inseparable from his Master, Obi-Wan was a promising young apprentice.  
  
Passing on from Obi-Wan, Mace moved his attention to Qui-Gon. Head and shoulders above Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon was less compact and agile but much stronger and more experienced. Qui-Gon's dark hair spilled carelessly across his broad shoulders, one small section swept back from his face. His face was stern and dignified but sometimes - like now - the twinkle in his eyes betrayed his emotions. Despite the differences in their appearances, they dressed almost identically - a symbol of their legendary partnership.  
  
Mace moved on to contemplate their personalities. Qui-Gon was not exactly rebellious but zealously independent, truly living for the moment and following his own instincts without question. More than once this had put him at odds with Mace and the Jedi Council. Obi-Wan was not quite as 'troublesome'. Though he would support his Master in every matter, he was more inclined to follow instructions. Even so, Obi-Wan had proved himself capable of incredible stubbornness, when the occasion presented itself. Perhaps he respected or feared the Council more than Qui-Gon. Mace was not sure which it was.  
  
In the distance, Obi-Wan was loosening his robe as he talked. He finally stopped walking altogether to struggle out of the garment. Even from down the corridor, Mace could see the clumsiness of his movements. The boy was obviously unwell. The heavy material of the robe slipped from the boy's fingers to pool on the floor. Qui-Gon laid a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder, obviously concerned.  
  
Obi-Wan's knees buckled and he collapsed into Qui-Gon's arms. Mace sprinted down the corridor towards them. He joined Qui-Gon, kneeling by the side of the pale boy. Obi-Wan's eyes were half-closed and his movements were blurred, as if by sleep.  
"Obi-Wan, I'm here," said Qui-Gon sharply, as if in response to a question.  
Mace was confused at first until he remembered the telepathic Master/Padawan bond. Qui-Gon could still hear Obi-Wan though Mace could not. Obi-Wan didn't move but Qui-Gon frowned in response to a silent comment.  
  
A flash of panic flashed across Qui-Gon's normally passive face.  
"Wait, Padawan," said Qui-Gon. "I'm coming with you."  
Mace could feel Qui-Gon calling on the Force, searching for his student. Mace cried out in alarm as Qui-Gon slumped over Obi-Wan. Mace gripped Qui-Gon by the shoulders and shook him. There was no response. With one last glance at the collapsed Master/Padawan team, Mace pulled a comlink from his tunic.  
  
Obi-Wan began to stir. Mace gently shifted Qui-Gon's weight to the ground so that Obi-Wan could sit up. At the movement, Qui-Gon also began to stir. Qui-Gon pulled himself up to a sitting position and shook his head to clear it. Mace looked on in concern but Qui-Gon's eyes were clear.  
Mace turned to Obi-Wan, "What happened?"  
"We were going somewhere..." began Obi-Wan.  
His voice trailed off and he looked even more confused. "I'm sorry. I don't remember any more, Master Windu."  
  
Qui-Gon stood and held out a hand to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan took it and climbed to his feet, alert and awake as usual. Mace stood also, watching them warily.  
"We must have been training too hard," said Qui-Gon. "Perhaps we should retire to our quarters."  
There was silence for a moment as Mace tried to comprehend the sudden change in mood. Finally, he nodded in agreement.  
"I want both of you to report to the healers - now," he told them. "After that, make sure you get some rest."  
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon bowed obediently and left, as if nothing at all had happened. Mace was worried.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Fifteen years later, Mace found himself pacing down the same corridor. Little had changed in the corridor or even in the view outside. Physically Mace himself had changed little, he was still a member of the Jedi Council and he was worried, again. Now, however, Qui-Gon had been dead for a decade and new troubles plagued the Jedi Order.  
  
A growing disturbance in the Force had begun to cloud visions of the future. The dark side of the Force was growing stronger and there was nothing that the Jedi could do. Some Jedi could not even sense it while still others sceptically ignored it. Mace was uncomfortably aware that he himself had been skeptical about the continued existence of a Sith Lord, until one had slain Qui-Gon in battle. Mace was constantly aware of a sense of danger and corruption but there was no way to pinpoint the feeling more accurately than that. Perhaps it would simply pass in time or perhaps he had simply spent too much time amongst the corrupt Senators.  
  
Finding no answers, Mace headed for one of the Meditation rooms. As he approached, he could hear a familiar voice talking. He recognized the voice as that of Obi-Wan Kenobi, now a thirty-five year old Jedi Knight, training his own Padawan.  
  
"Sometimes a dream is just a dream, Anakin," Obi-Wan was saying gently but firmly.  
As Mace rounded the corner, he was able to see Anakin's doubtful expression.   
Obi-Wan, still the same height but now sporting a sandy coloured beard, turned at Mace's approach.  
"Master Windu," said Obi-Wan, bowing respectfully.  
Anakin followed suit politely enough but began to look uncomfortable. Considering the resistance the Council had shown to Anakin being accepted into the Jedi Order, Mace thought it was not surprising that he would be a little uncomfortable in the presence of a Council Member.  
  
"Obi-Wan," Mace answered, nodding in return. "Anakin."  
He didn't miss Anakin's small start at being addressed directly but decided to ignore it. He would discuss Anakin's behaviour with Obi-Wan later.   
"It has been a while since we have had an opportunity to talk," said Mace. "Are you busy?"  
Obi-Wan shook his head, smiling slightly, "Nothing that we can't finish later."  
Mace gestured towards an empty Meditation room and Obi-Wan moved to follow.  
  
Anakin followed moodily, trying his best to suppress his annoyance. He was not yet finished talking to his Master about his nightmares. It began to get warmer in the corridor and Anakin loosened his robe slightly. He tried hard to forget about the dreams, about his mother screaming and in pain. The warmth spread quickly to the rest of his body, making him drowsy. He shrugged out of his robe and draped it across his arm. He tried to ignore the heat; to focus on Obi-Wan and Master Windu but the temperature continued to increase. Anakin swallowed and stumbled. He regained his balance but it had been enough to draw the attention of Obi-Wan.  
  
Anakin was aware of Obi-Wan calling his name but he was too exhausted to answer. He felt physically and mentally drained. He thought he heard someone else calling his name too but it was a voice he did not recognize. As Anakin fell to his knees, Obi-Wan was at his side. Anakin noticed dreamily that Obi-Wan could not have moved so fast without the aid of the Force.  
  
//Anakin?//  
Anakin heard Obi-Wan's mental call but it sounded dim, as if far away.  
//M-m-master, where are you?//  
//I'm right here, Padawan. //  
Obi-Wan's presence was growing fainter. Anakin knew this should have concerned him but he could hear someone else calling him. He wanted to help them, wasn't that what Jedi were supposed to do?  
//I'm going to help someone... they need me// he sent to Obi-Wan.  
//No, Padawan// sent Obi-Wan, sounding fainter than ever. //You're not going without me.//  
Anakin felt Obi-Wan's familiar Force signature reaching out towards him, following. Far away as he was, Anakin still heard Mace swear as Obi-Wan collapsed beside him.  
  
Mace looked up to find other Jedi watching the incident worriedly.  
"Call the healers," Mace ordered.  
As before, Anakin was stirring even as Mace was giving the order. Mace had a nasty feeling of familiarity and predicted gloomily that the healers would find nothing wrong with them, as had been the case fifteen years before. Now Mace was more worried than ever.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The jewel surged beneath Leia's fingertips, cresting a peak and on some unknown signal; it overflowed. The Force energy spilled out into the corridor, engulfing Leia. She shut her eyes tight, soaking up the warmth to chase away the cold aftertaste the mists had left. As quickly as it had come, the energy receded again. Even the jewel itself seemed to shrink away from her touch and she whimpered from the loss of contact.  
  
She opened her eyes and waited for her eyes to readjust to the gloom. The two mist creatures had retreated down the corridor but were holding their ground. Now that the jewel's energy had faded, they began to advance again. Leia stepped away, groping for the jewel and her foot collected with a soft object. Four piles of cloth had materialized in the corridor, left in the path of the energy. As she watched, the cloth shifted and a human hand slid into view. She barely had time to wonder at their presence before the mists caught her attention again.  
  
Moving more quickly now, one of the mists had reached one of the bundles of cloth. It stretched out insubstantial tentacles towards it.  
"Look out!" cried Leia.  
Her cry was too late, the figure beneath the cloth jerking as the tentacles penetrated its body. A second later a blue flash arched through the air.  
  
Even as Leia recognized it as a lightsabre, the mist was retreating. The lightsabre's owner reached down to help up his fallen companion. By the glow of the jewels, Leia could see that they were both boys or young men. Thin braids dangled from behind their right ears, their clothing oddly familiar to Leia though she couldn't place it. The other piles of cloth had risen to their feet at some point, revealing two older, bearded men.  
"What in the blazes..." said one, using an accent Leia didn't recognise.  
"Where are we?" interrupted the second, in a deeper, softer tone.  
"The Ekash mines. We need to get past those things," answered Leia quickly.  
  
She gestured towards the mists, which had backed off uncertainly.  
"They're not solid," ventured one of the young men. "But they don't seem to like lightsabres."  
Three more lightsabres ignited with a hiss. The second man looked up and down the corridor.  
"Which way?"  
Leia paused, and then followed her instincts, "That way."  
  
The small party moved down the corridor. The mists stayed with them but kept their distance as long as the lightsabres were lit. Eventually, the ground began to slope upwards towards the surface. Leia prayed that they were headed in the direction of the landing pad. They turned a corner and sunlight blinded them.  
  
Squinting, Leia could see the faded black of the landing pad stretched out before them. The paint on it was a dull yellow and Leia marveled that she'd been able to see it at all from a distance. Orange weeds grew out of the few great cracks that laced across the surface but it was mostly intact. Nearby, sat a small, unobtrusive hangar. Leia couldn't contain her sigh of relief.  
  
"Come on," she said. "We need to get out of here before the guards work out where we are."  
"And what guards would they be?" asked one of the men.  
"The Ekash Guards. They're after any Force sensitives they can find. I'll explain the rest later, once we get to safety," explained Leia.  
She was anxious to leave, all too aware that she was still unarmed and on a hostile planet. The four strangers, all obviously Jedi, were more reluctant. They seemed unsure of their surroundings and weren't sure whether Leia could be trusted.  
  
"And safety would be where?" one of them asked.  
"Off planet, for a start," answered Leia, gesturing towards the hangar.  
Finally, the older two nodded their agreement and the party headed across the landing pad to the hangar. As they approached, Leia could see that the hangar protruded out of a grassy mound. The parts that were visible were old and discoloured. The main door was half open and sagging menacingly. Spidery cracks spread out from the corners of the roof like ripples in a pond. The same orange weeds that encroached on the landing pad ran rampant on the hangar roof. From the distance it seemed as if the plants had sprouted from the metal itself. It was not until they were metres from it that Leia noticed the thin layer of soil that they were growing in.  
  
The thought crossed Leia's mind that there might be no ship, that they might be stranded. Panic rose in her throat but she fought it down. Somehow Leia knew she was responsible for the Jedi being here. She would get them out of here, she promised herself; there was no other choice.  
  
Though her head cleared the hangar door by a few feet, Leia ducked anyway. It earnt her an amused glance from one of the Jedi but she ignored it. The hangar was dark after the glaring light of the sun and it took Leia's eyes a few moments to adjust. When they had, there was not much to see. Piles of junk were clustered around the floor. A row of broken lights sagged from their connections. One of them had already fallen to smash violently against the hard floor. There were no spacecraft in sight but a large length of cheap cloth obscured the back of the hangar.  
  
"There doesn't seem to be any ship, here," muttered one of the Jedi.  
Once again Leia ignored the comment and started forwards towards the cloth. With surprise, she noticed that one of the boys was walking silently beside her. The other three trailed after them reluctantly. Reaching the cloth, she could see that the ends were supported from the roof by ropes. The shape beneath the cloth was much smaller than it had seemed.  
  
Together, she and the boy pulled the cloth up. As the gaudy red cloth was tugged back, a sleek silver vessel appeared. Even in the awful light, Leia could recognize the beauty of it. It was a medium sized fighter, built for speed both in and out of the atmosphere. It was bigger than an X-wing but nowhere near as bulky as a freighter. Gold and green trimming danced up and down its wing tips, ending in an intricate pattern of knots on the nose. When Leia looked up, she saw the boy gazing wondrously at the ship. It was possible that he would soon begin drooling. He frowned suddenly.  
"What this?" he asked. "I don't recognize the writing."  
  
Leia stepped closer to him and peered at the inscription on the ship's hull. It was written in Ekash, though it took her a moment to remember the translation.  
"It's in the Ekash language," she explained out loud. "It says Fahren. It means the Weaver of Souls."  
"Poetic," muttered one of the other Jedi.  
Leia made a mental note to work out which one of them kept making the sarcastic comment. The boy beside her grinned as if he sensed her thoughts.  
  
"That would be Master Obi-Wan," he whispered quietly.  
Leia wasn't really all that surprised, just confused and concerned. She knew the names of the Jedi she had called and it had not been difficult to guess who the new arrivals were. Some of her confusion must have shown on her face though because the boy frowned.  
"Is something wrong?" he asked.  
"No," she shook her head, smiling. "I'm Leia."  
He returned her smile impishly, "I'm Anakin."  
  
This time Leia was surprised, shocked even. Her eyes widened as she took in the cocky expression, the boyish good looks and the lanky height.  
"You're Anakin Skywalker?" she asked, her voice rising a notch.  
The boy frowned but nodded cautiously. He was so innocent looking and yet he was dressed head to toe in dark browns - all too close to the fearsome black Darth Vader had favoured. Years of frustration and anger bubbled to the surface and Leia reacted automatically. She slapped him across the face. Taken completely by surprise, the boy lost his balance and fell. Before he hit the ground, one of the older Jedi was behind him to break his fall. Anakin's expression blinked from surprise to hurt to anger in the space of a few seconds. As the sudden anger faded, Leia realized what she'd done. All of the Jedi were staring at her, expressions politely curious but hands hovering by their lightsabres.  
  
"Sorry," croaked Leia. "Reflex action."  
Anakin's eyes simply narrowed further. Leia sighed.  
"I really am sorry," Leia tried again. "I was told that Anakin Skywalker was responsible for... the death of someone I cared about. I wasn't prepared to meet you face to face."  
"I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding," interrupted one of the older Jedi.  
  
Anakin finally nodded and straightened but he still looked wary. Inwardly Leia groaned but there were still things to be done. She reluctantly turned away and moved beneath the Fahren to find an entry hatch. Behind her she could almost hear the Jedi exchanging looks. Then she found the hatch and palmed it open. It hummed gently and a thin ramp descended gracefully to the ground.  
  
"This ship has been well taken care of," muttered one of the Jedi.  
Without turning to look at them, Leia marched up the ramp. The Jedi was right; the ship had been taken care of. Inside it was shiny and polished, showing almost no signs of wear. At first Leia was tempted to think it was brand new but a few slightly roughened edges betrayed the truth.  
  
The ramp led into a small, empty cargo bay. As three banks of lights swelled to life, Leia could see that the floors were carpeted. Two doors were set into the far wall. One was marked with the Ekash word for cockpit, the other with the Ekash word for cabin. Leia headed instantly for the cockpit. The door slid back soundlessly to reveal a shiny silver interior. A dark green chair sat at the main control panel and four more golden chairs lined up along the sides.   
  
Leia moved instantly to the green chair to examine the instrumentation. The navigation computer was soon online and she began feeding in the co-ordinates of the nearest New Republic world. After a few minutes, Anakin joined her hesitantly. He looked over the control panels, his curiosity overcoming his sense of caution. He leant over Leia's shoulder, taking in her movements.  
"She's a beautiful ship," he said at last.  
Leia nodded absentmindedly. She remembered dimly Luke's skill at piloting and some offhand comment about inheriting it from his father. Leia looked up at Anakin, literally an incarnation of their father.  
  
"Would you like to fly it?" she asked hesitantly, wondering how he would react.  
His eyes widened slightly and a ridiculous grin spread across his face, "Could I?"  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	2. Family

DISCLAIMER: I'm a poor Uni student... don't sue me... yadda yadda yadda. Star Wars and all the wonderful characters therein belong to George Lucas and some studio. I make no profit, I just get hysterical joy from writing down all the ideas that bounce around in my head. Emalda and the Ekash belong to me. If anybody, including George Lucas, wants to borrow them, they have to ask first.  
RATING: PG-13  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: You only have to have seen the movies for this to make sense. There are spoilers for JA #1-16 and Jedi Search.  
SUMMARY: A desperate Leia calls for help. In the past, Padawan Anakin and Padawan Obi-Wan hear her call. As a result the young Jedi find both themselves, and their Masters, dragged into an adventure that will change their lives forever.  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
STAR WARS:  
A LIFE OF THEIR OWN  
  
Anakin gently lifted the Fahren off the ground. An alarm sounded. He silenced it quickly, frowning.  
"Something wrong?" asked Qui-Gon.  
Anakin shifted uneasily in his seat at the sound of the Jedi Master's voice. He had been ten when Qui-Gon died but this Qui-Gon Jinn matched his memory almost perfectly. He even dragged his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi behind him like a shadow, just as had happened ten years ago. Anakin's own Master, an older Obi-Wan Kenobi hadn't mentioned the appearance of the dead Jedi yet and Anakin was happy to follow his lead for the moment.  
  
Anakin examined the display.  
"Proximity alarm," he explained. "If we go any higher, we'll hit the roof of the hangar."  
"Good thing you remembered to turn on the sensors," muttered Master Obi-Wan.  
Anakin blushed, "I didn't remember."  
"I did," said the woman, Leia. "Once you make that mistake, you don't make it again."  
"True," said Master Obi-Wan.  
  
Anakin glanced sideways at the strange woman. She looked familiar and Anakin was certain that she was the one who had called them here. Focusing on the matter at hand, Anakin began to gently guide the ship forward towards the hangar door. The hangar door was still sagging half-open.  
"Shouldn't we do something about that?" asked Master Obi-Wan.  
"There must be weapons of some kind here," said Leia, swivelling in her chair to examine the panels near her.  
"No," disagreed Qui-Gon. "The hangar's unstable, the whole building might come down."  
"And that would be bad," echoed a new voice.  
Anakin turned to see that the apprentice Obi-Wan had joined them in the cockpit.  
  
Anakin stared for a moment, marveling at the mischievous glint in Obi-Wan's eyes. It was so unlike Master Obi-Wan that Anakin wondered if the resemblance between the two was only skin deep. Then again, he remembered that when he had first met Obi-Wan, the young man had possessed that sparkle. It was only after the death of Qui-Gon that it had dulled and died. It was so long ago...  
  
Anakin turned back to the view of the hangar door.  
"We'll fit," he said confidently.  
Whether the silence from the others was evidence of agreement or skepticism, Anakin went ahead regardless. His instincts served him well again. The Fahren slid gently under the open hangar door, clearing by millimetres on one side. Outside, the sunlight almost blinded him. Instantly a misty film formed over the view screen, automatically dulling the glare. This was a fancy ship, indeed.  
  
He pulled back on a lever and the engine hummed smoothly. The Fahren began to rise swiftly through the atmosphere. As they rose, Anakin could look down at the planet they were leaving. Immediately below them was a large, sprawling purple forest. The view grew to include a river in the distance and then buildings even further in the distance. Then it became a blur as they left the outer edges of the atmosphere. The ship had moved so smoothly, Anakin had hardly been aware of their height.  
  
As they drew away from the planet into the blackness of space, Anakin could detect ion cannons and anti-aircraft guns being mobilized to intercept them.  
"Where to now?" asked Master Obi-Wan.  
"Why don't we ask our host?" suggested Qui-Gon.  
They turned to Leia. The woman seemed uneasy at being questioned, "I've entered co-ordinates into the navigation computer. That'll take us to a friendly planet. I'll explain on the way."  
  
Master Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon hesitated.  
"We're going to have company soon," spoke up the apprentice Obi-Wan. "Our decision needs to be made quickly."  
He indicated the firepower focusing on their position. The two older Jedi nodded their agreement and Anakin activated the hyperdrive. The stars around them streaked past and Anakin relaxed back into his seat. There was nothing he could do now until the ship came back out of hyperspace.  
  
"Why don't you explain a few things, now," said Qui-Gon politely but with a tone that didn't invite argument.  
Leia looked uncomfortable, "I'm not absolutely sure what happened but if what I think happened, happened, then I... I don't know how it happened."  
"Why don't you tell us what happened?" asked Master Obi-Wan pleasantly.  
The woman sighed and looked thoughtful.  
  
"I'm Leia Organa Solo, a New Republic representative, sent to talk to the Ekash and encourage them to join the New Republic," she began.  
"New Republic?" frowned Anakin.  
Master Obi-Wan silenced him with a glance.  
"I had this feeling," continued Leia. "That I was in danger. I hid from the Ekash when they came to see me in my quarters. I felt foolish but then I heard them talking. They were making a big deal about me being Force sensitive. I tried to sneak out but they heard me and gave chase. They were shooting at me so I've no doubt they meant me harm."  
Anakin snorted, "You don't say?"  
Master Obi-Wan glared until Anakin looked suitably embarressed.  
  
"I got away and headed down the river," continued Leia. "Then I took shelter in the mine. At some point I felt very... cold. It was probably the mists getting close although I couldn't see them at the time."  
"That mine was stong with the Dark Side of the Force," said Qui-Gon.  
"It wasn't the mine," disagreed Master Obi-Wan, shaking his head. He had gone very pale at the mention of the mists. He continued in a dull voice, almost talking to himself. "It was those mists. It's been a long time since I've felt anything that cold. It was like... like being in the presence of a Sith Lord."  
"The Sith have been extinct for a millenia," interrupted Qui-Gon.  
Master Obi-Wan seemed to come back to himself. Blinking, he turned to look at Qui-Gon, "Trust me. I know what a Sith Lord feels like."  
"He's right," agreed Leia. "It was like being in a room with Darth Vader - only worse."  
  
Anakin looked between the Master Obi-Wan and Leia. The two smiled grimly at each other, sharing some understanding. Anakin had seen Darth Maul from a distance when he was much younger. He didn't remember whether or not the Sith Lord had a distinctive presence, only that he had killed Qui-Gon and then been killed by Obi-Wan. Perhaps it was Darth Maul that had caused the sparkle in Master Obi-Wan's eyes to fade. Anakin locked gazes with apprentice Obi-Wan. The younger Obi-Wan looked confused but then seemed to shrug it off. He rolled his eyes and gave Anakin a look that was easily recognisable.  
"Who knows what they're talking about?" the look said. "I'll mind my own business until somebody gives me an order."  
Anakin snickered in agreement, earning him another warning glare from his master.  
  
Looking unsettled, Qui-Gon looked back to Leia and motioned for her to continue.  
Leia complied, "I felt some warmth and I followed it to those jewels, crystals... whatever they were, in the walls. Then I was attacked by the mists. I was frightened, I started calling for help. I even called to people I knew were dead. Next thing I knew, you four had appeared."  
"People who were dead," muttered Master Obi-Wan, glancing at Qui-Gon. He looked back to Leia, "What do you think happened?"  
Leia hesitated again, "I think maybe the people I called came to help me, somehow."  
  
Qui-Gon looked skeptical but Master Obi-Wan and Anakin exchanged glances. They both knew that Qui-Gon had been dead and that something had brought him back.  
"Who did you call?" asked the apprentice Obi-Wan.  
"Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker... my father," said Leia quietly.  
Anakin couldn't have heard that right. Anakin leaned forward, "Could you say that again?"  
"I said I called to General Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. Anakin Skywalker was my father before he died," repeated Leia.  
Anakin stared at her. Father. Before he died. Well, it was hardly likely he was a father after he'd died so that part made sense. The rest of it was a bit more shaky.  
  
"I'm your father?" he asked tentatively.  
"Well, I don't know about that. I just know that Anakin Skywalker was my father and that he's been dead for more than ten years. Mind you, I don't know if he ever knew. I didn't find out until I was in my mid-twenties."  
Anakin's mouth dropped open. He looked the woman up and down again. He took in her small shape, the soft brown eyes, the long, brown hair and the pale skin. A few pieces fell into place, the answer as to Who came to mind though he still had no luck with the How.  
"Padme?" he gasped.  
Leia's eyebrows raised a notch, "She was my mother."  
  
"So you're the one who called us," spoke up the apprentice Obi-Wan. "I heard you calling and I came to help."  
"And I came with you," said Qui-Gon.  
Leia turned to look at the apprentice Obi-Wan, "You're Obi-Wan Kenobi?"  
The apprentice nodded, warily. Anakin suppossed he was wondering if there were any of his children waiting to pop out of the woodwork. Leia stared hard at apprentice Obi-Wan for a few minutes before sighing, "I'll have to take your word for it. General Kenobi worked for my father before I was born. I only ever saw him from a distance."  
"Pleased to meet you, then, Miss Solo," said Obi-Wan pleasantly, obviously deciding that utter confusion was no excuse for bad manners.  
"Mrs Solo," Leia corrected.  
"I am Qui-Gon Jinn," said Qui-Gon, catching Leia's attention. "Obi-Wan's Master."  
"Pleased to meet you, Master Jinn."  
  
Master Obi-Wan leaned forward, bothered by something, "Did you say that General Kenobi was working for Anakin Skywalker?"  
Leia frowned, "No, he was working for my father."  
"I thought you said Anakin Skywalker was your father."  
"Oh," Leia blushed. "General Kenobi worked for my adoptive father, Senator Bail Organa. He is always my father to my mind."  
Master Obi-Wan smiled suddenly. Anakin remembered that he and Senator Organa had become friends recently. Anakin couldn't imagine Obi-Wan leaving the Jedi to be a General though. Neither could he understand why Bail Organa would be the one to raise the daughter of Anakin Skywalker.  
  
Leia turned to Master Obi-Wan, "I guess you're Anakin's master then."  
Master Obi-Wan nodded, looking thoughtful, "I followed Anakin here."  
Leia frowned suddenly, "Wait a minute. Wasn't Anakin Skywalker the apprentice of Obi-Wan Kenobi?"  
Master Obi-Wan nodded. Leia's eyes widened and she looked at the apprentice Obi-Wan and then back at Master Obi-Wan.  
"This is turning into one of those days," she sighed.  
Both Qui-Gon and apprentice Obi-Wan frowned at Master Obi-Wan. He quirked an eyebrow back at them.  
"I think we ought to go see my brother," said Leia wearily. "He should be back on Corrusant by now."  
  
Anakin nodded automatically and then stopped. If Leia was his daughter, that made her brother Anakin's son. He looked inquiringly at her.  
She nodded, "Yes. My twin brother happens to be your son as well."  
A shrill whistle announced that they were approaching their destination. Anakin turned his attention back to the control panel. He gently brought them back to into real space, determined to deal with his confusion later.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Emalda glared at Natheb, "There are other ways to do this."  
Natheb ignored her obvious anger, "Just do it, Emalda. I don't have time for your tantrums."  
Emalda continued to glare, her arms crossed.   
"Look," pleaded Georeb. "We need bait, we can't use the aides - the Minister will know they've been captured. We use the aides to get some decent bait and then use the bait to get the Minister. Nothing will go wrong and if its successful..."  
  
Emalda glanced at the room beyond, fighting down a familiar surge of panic. She would not give into her anger, she told herself, even if she had to put up with this bastard. She would not end up like Yalana, scratching and clawing like a deranged animal. Besides, Georeb was right. If this was successful, it would be the last time she would ever do it. Keeping her head held high, Emalda walked willingly into the next room. Natheb and Georeb followed, watching her cautiously. The first few times this had happened, Emalda had bolted in terror from the room and Georeb made sure to block her exit.  
  
The room was small and unassuming, relatively benign as rooms tend to go. It was what was inside it that worried Emalda. A cold, smooth chair sat in the middle of the room. Beside it sat a large round machine, bearing an absurd resemblance to a spinning top. Staring fixedly ahead, Emalda sat down stiffly in the chair.   
  
Apparently satisfied that Emalda was not going to cause a scene, Natheb approached and placed electrodes against her skull. Emalda shut her eyes, her courage only carrying so far. She knew what she would see - the machine beside her slowly starting to rotate as soon as it detected her through the electrodes. Speaking of which, they pulled at her hair painfully but Emalda refused to show her discomfort. As the machine began to rotate faster, Emalda could feel the telltale tug on her mind. She could feel the Force energy being sucked through her and into the lifeless machine. As always, she couldn't find the strength to speak but if she could she was have been cursing Natheb.  
  
When Natheb was convinced that the machine had enough energy, he motioned to Georeb. He left the room but soon returned with a prisoner, one of the aides left behind on Leia's recent visit. The aide wore a stubborn expression but wasn't quite sure where to direct it, turning first to Emalda, then to Georeb and finally to Natheb.  
"You will ask Han Solo to come pick you up," said Natheb firmly.  
"For the last time... I will not," answered the aide defiantly.  
"Then I shall have to make you."  
Natheb picked up a pair of headphones and slipped them over the aides ears while Georeb plugged the other end of the headphones into the rotating machine. Whatever sound filtered in over the headphones, caused the aides eyes to cross. Emalda had never heard the sound of the machine from the other end. She swallowed, dizziness taking her over. She fought to stay conscious and keep watching Natheb. When the aide's face assumed a slightly blank expression, Natheb removed the headphones.  
  
"You will ask Han Solo to come pick you up," repeated Natheb.  
"I will ask Han Solo to come pick me up," echoed the aide.  
Natheb smiled and signalled for Georeb to bring a comlink. Everything was working well. Natheb turned and smiled at Emalda, triumphantly. He said something but Emalda couldn't hear what he was saying. Just as she was passing out, she heard Natheb tell Georeb to turn off the machine. Emalda vowed to herself that it would be the last time she would ever see this room.  
  
* * * * *  
  
As the Fahren came into land, they passed over the parts of Corrusant that had been destroyed in the recent civil war. Leia found herself giving an endless commentary, explaining the rise and defeat of the Empire, the war with Grand Admiral Thawn and the re-emergence and defeat of the Emperor.  
  
"Where were the Jedi during all this?" asked Qui-Gon suddenly.  
Leia swallowed but forced herself to explain the horrific purges which had seen most of the Jedi hunted down and killed. She told them about Darth Vader but omitted his true identity. That was a burden the young man beside her didn't need right now. Leia then explained how Luke had become a Jedi and was now in the process of recruiting others.  
Master Obi-Wan shook his head sadly, "It has been left to one Jedi to single handedly rebuild the Order? I wish him luck."  
Leia smiled sadly, amazed at how often she had thought the same thing.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by a request for clearance. Leia gave her own clearance code.  
The voice on the other end sounded surprised, "Welcome home, Minister."  
Anakin brought the ship into land, reminding her much of the reckless youth Luke had been when she had first met him. The five of them stood and filed down the ramp. Han and the twins were waiting for them.   
"Mother," Jacen called in greeting.  
Jaina wriggled out of her father's grasp and ran to Leia. Han tried to restraint Jacen but eventually gave up. Leia smiled widely and crouched down to take both of the children in her arms. She squeezed them tightly in a hug.  
  
"Did you have a good time?" asked Jaina.  
Leia sighed, "Not really but I'm home now."  
"You going to stay this time?" asked Jacen challengingly.  
Leia laughed, "Yes, I'm going to stay this time. Hopefully for quite a while."  
Once again she felt guilty at having to leave the twins on Corrusant while she had been on the Ekash homeworld. Considering the trouble she'd had, however, it was probably just as well. She looked up to find Anakin watching her curiously while the other three Jedi had backed away slightly to give her some privacy. Technically speaking, the boy was the twins' grandfather. A devious thought occurred to Leia. She smiled sweetly at the twins and indicated Anakin.  
"Say hello to your uncle," she said pleasantly.  
  
Anakin's eyes widened in horror as his knees were suddenly hugged by two pairs of small arms.  
"Hello Uncle," the twins chorused.  
"How come you haven't come to visit us before?" asked Jaina.  
"What's your name?" asked Jacen.  
"Where do you live?"  
Anakin stammered a few times in response but to his dismay, the twins waited patiently for him to answer.  
  
Hiding her smirk, Leia hugged her husband.  
"Welcome home," said Han warmly.  
"Thankyou. How'd you know I was coming?" said Leia.  
"I didn't. I was just about to leave Corrusant myself when they told me you were landing."  
"Leave Corrusant? Why?"  
"I got a message, somebody's trying to turn me into a passenger liner."  
"A passenger liner? Will Chewie be serving drinks?" Leia smiled.  
Han broke out into a grin, "No, I'm just picking up some dignitary or other. I was planning to take the twins along but they're probably more interested in staying with you."  
  
Leia looked back at the twins, who were still enthusiastically hugging Anakin's knees.  
"I've missed them," she admitted. "Ah, do you know if Luke is back yet? I really need to talk to him."  
Han nodded, "He is. He's getting ready to take some of those new recruits of his to Yavin 4. He was planning to leave tomorrow. Does he need to change his plans?"  
Leia shrugged, "That's up to him. In the meantime, I need to find quarters for these four."  
Han nodded and looked curiously at the four Jedi waiting patiently on the landing pad (Anakin was still wrestling with the twins). Their lightsabres were obvious, no one could mistake them for anything else.  
  
Leia waved the Jedi over.  
"This is my husband, Han Solo," she told them.  
The Jedi nodded politely in greeting. Leia was about to introduce the Jedi to Han but then realised how much explaining that would take. This is my father and two versions of Obi-Wan Kenobi?  
"Ah, perhaps other introductions should wait until later," she offered lamely.  
Han looked just as confused as the Jedi but nobody offered any objections out loud.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Anakin and the others were shown to comfortable guest quarters near Leia's quarters. They were treated to a meal and then left to their own devices while Leia went to watch Han leave in the Millenium Falcon. Finally, both Master/Padawan teams sat on opposite couches and regarded each other in silence. Master Obi-Wan and Anakin sat on one couch, Qui-Gon and apprentice Obi-Wan sat on the other. It felt like a confrontation. They all waited for somebody else to speak first.  
  
"You're a Jedi Knight?" Qui-Gon asked tentatively, looking at Master Obi-Wan.  
"Yes," Obi-Wan answered evenly. "For ten years now."  
"Oh, ten years?" replied Qui-Gon.  
Anakin watched the Jedi Knight and the Jedi Master regard each other, unsure of what to say. Outwardly Master Obi-Wan was withdrawn and cautious but Anakin could see the effort it took to conceal the emotions. From experience, Anakin knew that his Master would never really discuss Qui-Gon's reappearance. He might help Anakin deal with it but his own emotions would be suppressed and life would continue as usual. By contrast, Apprentice Obi-Wan sat obediently by Qui-Gon but to Anakin it seemed as if the other Padawan was finding keeping silent a challenge. Every now and then a twitch of the fingers betrayed his frustration.  
  
Anakin knew from his own Master that Obi-Wan would never interrupt someone who outranked him. He would follow orders to the letter and not move unless the Jedi Council had expressly ordered it.  
"How old were you?" blurted out apprentice Obi-Wan. "When you were knighted?"  
Anakin blinked in surprise, it was so unlike the Master he knew. The outburst had earned the Padawan a disapproving glance from Qui-Gon but it had broken the ice. Master Obi-Wan laughed and relaxed back into the couch.  
  
"Well, I'm guessing that we've undergone some sort of timetravel," he said, ignoring the apprentice's question for the moment. "I'm thirty-five at the moment. My Padawan is twenty. You'll have to forgive our strange behaviour. To my memory, Qui-Gon Jinn has been dead a long time."  
Qui-Gon nodded in understanding, "I'm sorry to make you uncomfortable then."  
"It's our problem, not yours," Master Obi-Wan reassured him.  
  
Anakin noticed that the knot that his Master seemed to constantly carry around loosened slightly. The only time Anakin had ever seen it loosen was when Obi-Wan was thinking about Qui-Gon. Interestingly, Qui-Gon's presence seemed to have the same effect. Anakin had often found himself wondering about Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's relationship. According to most of the Temple Gossip, they had been generally regarded as the ideal Master/Padawan team. So much so, apparently, that the death of one had scarred the other for life.  
  
Master Obi-Wan turned to apprentice Obi-Wan, "To answer your question, I was twenty-five when I was knighted. How old are you?"  
"Twenty," said the apprentice, smiling nervously.  
Master Obi-Wan smiled warmly in return.  
"I think this day is going to get even more confusing," admitted Qui-Gon.  
"I suppose we can always bunk with my family for a while," said Anakin, trying to be funny.  
Apprentice Obi-Wan gazed at him sympathetically, "You do realize your children are older than you, don't you?"  
  
* * * * *  
  
Leia looked at Luke uncomfortably as they stopped outside the temporary quarters where the Jedi were staying.  
"Are you sure about this?" she asked him again.  
"They're Jedi, Leia. Regardless of what time they come from, I'm sure I can deal with them," Luke assured her as he knocked. "And if they are who they say they are, we have nothing to fear."  
"Come in," called a deep voice.  
The door slid back and Luke and Leia entered side by side.  
  
The four Jedi rose as they entered. Leia quickly introduced everyone. The Jedi seemed more relaxed than they had before. She wondered what had happened while they were left alone.  
"I'm pleased to meet you," said Luke pleasantly, bowing slightly. "I believe we have some matters to discuss."  
"Ah, before we get to that," Leia interrupted. "Can I ask a favour?"  
The Jedi looked to Leia questioningly.  
"What is it, M'lady?" asked Master Obi-Wan.  
Leia shrugged slightly, "The engineers are having trouble moving the Fahren - they would appreciate your help, Anakin."  
  
Anakin's eyes brightened instantly and he glanced at Master Obi-Wan. Master Obi-Wan nodded almost imperceptibly.  
"I'll try my best, M'lady," Anakin answered Leia earnestly.  
"There is no try...," responded Luke and the other Jedi Masters automatically. Master Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Luke all smiled at each other and finished the saying together. "... there is only do."  
  
Anakin and apprentice Obi-Wan grimaced. Leia raised an eyebrow. It was oddly fitting that Luke had found someone else who could quote Master Yoda.  
"That should keep him occupied for a while," she thought smugly.  
She managed to contain her smirk and motioned to the door. Anakin bowed quickly to his Master then moved to join her. They began to walk towards the door, Leia noting that Anakin had become wary of her again. She wondered idly what might set him at ease.  
  
She paused at the door, "Obi-Wan, the younger Obi-Wan, do you want to join us?"  
Apprentice Obi-Wan hesitated.  
"This is going to be confusing, having two Obi-Wans," said Luke.  
"I suppose one of us will have to find a nickname," agreed Master Obi-Wan.  
"What about... Ben?" suggested Luke hesitantly.  
"Ben? I don't... well, actually, I've always liked the name Ben," said Master Obi-Wan thoughtfully. "Alright, I'll be Ben for the moment then. Qui-Gon's apprentice can remain Obi-Wan."  
  
Apprentice Obi-Wan turned to Qui-Gon questioningly.  
"You may join them if you wish, Padawan," Qui-Gon told him.  
"Thankyou Master, I think I will," Obi-Wan answered formally.  
He moved to join Leia and Anakin. The three of them left the room quickly. As they left they could hear Master Qui-Gon ask, "So, Luke, you knew Master Yoda too?"  
The two apprentices tried to hide amused grins.  
  
"So," asked Obi-Wan. "Does this ship actually need repairing or was it an excuse to get us out of the way?"  
Anakin looked crestfallen, "You mean we're not going back to the ship?"  
Leia smiled at him, "Of course we are. The ship does need moving. If it serves as an excuse at the same time, that's just convenient."  
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, "No prizes for spotting the politician."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Anakin ran his hands lovingly over the control panels of the Fahren. Leia and Obi-Wan were sitting behind him in the cockpit but he was only marginally aware of them. He was deeply drawn to this ship. He knew Master Obi-Wan... or Master Ben as he was now to be called, disapproved of his fascination with ships and gadgets but it was still permitted for him to indulge himself every now and then.  
  
The ship was not a standard design and the engineers had been incapable of starting the engines even to move it to a hangar bay. Anakin was strangely happy with the idea that he was the only one who could fly her, not counting the ships owner. He supposed that the Fahren's owner would be very upset when they found their ship missing.  
"Are you going to stroke it or fly it?" asked Obi-Wan abruptly.  
  
Anakin was startled out of his reverie, "Give me a minute here."  
He turned back to the control panel but the spell had been broken. Feeling irritated, he activated the ships engines and took off gently. He felt Obi-Wan move from his seat to stand behind Anakin's chair.  
"What?" snapped Anakin irritably.  
"I'm just trying to see the view, that's all," answered Obi-Wan absent-mindedly.  
Anakin raised his eyes from the control panel and took in the view. He had to admit it was pretty breathtaking. Though he had spent ten years in Corrusant, this Corrusant was just different enough to fill him with a strange desire to go exploring.  
  
They passed by a huge sprawling, ugly black building.  
"What's that?" frowned Anakin.  
"It's the Senate Building," explained Leia. "It used to be Emperor Palpatine's palace. We've reclaimed it now."  
"And you use it to prove that his reign is truly over," said Obi-Wan.  
"We no longer have to live in fear," agreed Leia.  
The passion in her words caught Anakin's attention. He gave Leia a look, reassessing the politician.  
  
"Why don't you watch where you're going?" asked Obi-Wan quietly.  
"I know how to fly, thankyou," snapped Anakin, irritated.  
Anakin returned his eyes to the front and immediately found himself staring at a Corrusant skyscraper. Biting his lip hard, he swerved the ship around. He felt Obi-Wan stumble behind him but he couldn't spare a glance to see if he was unharmed.  
  
"We're going to hit," Leia shouted.  
"No, we aren't," replied Anakin through clenched teeth.  
"He's right," agreed Obi-Wan tensely. "But we may just scratch the paint."  
They skimmed across the skyscraper's face. Anakin was surprised to find himself worrying about the paintwork, as Obi-Wan had suggested. Finally, after what seemed like hours but was probably less than a minute, they completely cleared the building.  
Leia sighed with relief, "So, Anakin. Is this the way you always fly?"  
  
* * * * *  
  
Emalda pushed through the purple plantlife. Up ahead she could hear the telltale gurgling of the river. She couldn't see it yet but it was not her final destination anyhow. She surged through the undergrowth and broke into a clearing. The familiar landing pad was still there, crisscrossed by weeds. It was functional but old enough to be ignored by the Ekash government.  
  
Connected to the abandoned mines, a supposed supernatural threat kept prying eyes away from the landing pad and the hangar. Emalda regarded such superstitious nonsense with contempt - but even she avoided entering the mines. Every now and then Emalda would have a feeling and experience had taught her to trust her instincts.  
  
Not trusting her instincts had gotten her into this mess in the first place. Part of her had always known that Natheb could not be trusted, that she shouldn't accept his offer of work. She had wanted to walk away but the sorely needed cash he offered proved irresistible. She had agreed to work for only three months but that had been two years ago. Now she was finally doing what she should, finally walking away while Natheb's back was turned. If she went back, she knew what Natheb would want from her. It was something she was not prepared to give again.  
  
She relished in the feel of hot concrete beneath her boots and smiled grimly to herself. She was going to leave. Emalda felt a momentary pang of regret at leaving the planet where she was born but everyone had to leave home sometime. Everyone had to grow up, eventually. She swept into the hangar, impatience urging her on. She was halfway across the hangar bay before she stopped. She stood, rooted to the spot. Her brain tried to fumble with the inevitable. She howled in despair and sunk to her knees. The Fahren, her only chance of escape - was gone.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	3. Scars

DISCLAIMER: I'm a poor Uni student... don't sue me... yadda yadda yadda. Star Wars and all the wonderful characters therein belong to George Lucas and some studio. I make no profit, I just get hysterical joy from writing down all the ideas that bounce around in my head. Emalda and the Ekash belong to me. If anybody, including George Lucas, wants to borrow them, they have to ask first.  
RATING: PG-13  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: You only have to have seen the movies for this to make sense. There are spoilers for JA #1-16 and Jedi Search.  
SUMMARY: A desperate Leia calls for help. In the past, Padawan Anakin and Padawan Obi-Wan hear her call. As a result the young Jedi find both themselves, and their Masters, dragged into an adventure that will change their lives forever.  
  
********************************************************************************   
  
STAR WARS :   
A LIFE OF THEIR OWN  
  
Anakin toweled off his wet hair and patted the rest of his body dry. He liked showers, they were refreshing, they gave you time to think and they got rid of sand. Growing up in the desert, there had been times where Anakin had simply accepted that being in coated in sand was to exist. The idea of being completely clean and sand free had seemed surreal at first. Now, Anakin reveled in cleanliness whenever he could. With that thought, he pulled on his tunics and his boots and went in search of his Master.  
  
When he stepped into the living room of their shared quarters, he found it empty. The robes of both Master Qui-Gon and Master 'Ben' (as Master Obi-Wan was now called) were gone from their hooks. This meant the two Jedi must have left the quarters. Anakin looked around for a message and found it in the form of a datapad lying on the table.   
  
It was a message from Master Qui-Gon, stating that the two elder Jedi had gone with Luke to dinner. They were not sure when they would be back and suggested that the apprentices eat without them. The first thing that Anakin wondered was why Master Qui-Gon had written the message and not his own Master. The answer came easily that Qui-Gon held the rank of Jedi Master while Master Ben was still a Jedi Knight. The fact that other people called Ben Kenobi a Master was merely a mark of respect, not an indication of rank. The second thing that Anakin wondered was why apprentice Obi-Wan was not in the room.  
  
Worried that Obi-Wan had left him to do the cooking by himself, Anakin began to look for him. He wasn't in any of the bedrooms or the fresher. Anakin returned to the main room but Obi-Wan still wasn't there. Anakin narrowed his eyes in frustration and looked about the room. The last time he had seen Obi-Wan had been before Anakin's shower, when Obi-Wan had been asleep in bed.  
  
Anakin's gaze came to rest on one wall of their quarters. The wall was hung with ornate drapes and Anakin had assumed that they had been for privacy and decoration. He went for a closer look at one of the end of the curtain. Pulling back the heavy fabric, Anakin discovered that the drapes disguised a wall of windows. Their quarters had an almost dizzying view of Corrusant. Anakin stared out of the windows at the riotous sunset, wondering why such a view had been concealed. Then Anakin looked down and realized why. The section of Corrusant that stretched out in front of him was wartorn. Huge tracts of twisted and melted metal wove amongst those buildings that still stood. More than a few of the buildings leaned dangerously to one side. The expensive drapes had been used to conceal the scars of a civil war.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Anakin managed to pull his gaze away from the ruins. It was only then that he realized a narrow balcony jutted off from their quarters. The transparent door that led out to the balcony had resembled the windows around it, making it difficult to see. Standing stiffly on the balcony was Obi-Wan. Anakin wrestled with the drapes until he reached the door. Obi-Wan's hands were resting on the balcony railing, his back to Anakin. Anakin was stuck once again by how strange and yet familiar the other boy was. Anakin recognized the stiffening of back muscles that his own Master often had when he was worried but there was a despairing air about this padawan that seemed totally out of place. Anakin pushed forward on the balcony door and it moved forward almost silently. The noise was evidently audible to the other padawan, however, as Obi-Wan's stance shifted slightly.  
  
"Good morning," said Anakin clearly, walking out onto the narrow balcony.  
Obi-Wan hesitated a moment before turning. Anakin was startled to notice that Obi-Wan's eyes were puffy and red, as if he had been crying.  
"Actually, its evening, if not night," answered Obi-Wan crisply.  
There was no trace of sorrow in that soft but mischievous voice. Blue eyes regarded Anakin for a moment before Obi-Wan turned back to his contemplation of the view.  
  
Anakin stepped forward, "Are you alright?"  
Obi-Wan shrugged, "What doesn't kill us, only makes us stronger. Isn't that what they say?"  
Anakin found himself desperately wishing to see Obi-Wan's face. It was the face that seemed so different, that set the older and younger Kenobis apart. That, and the knot of grief that Master Ben seemed to permanently carry around was absent from the apprentice. Anakin had forgotten what his Master had been like before Qui-Gon had died. He was seized by a burning desire to find out the answer.  
  
"Will you miss the temple, do you think?" asked Obi-Wan suddenly.  
The question startled Anakin and he took a moment to answer.  
"It's never really been home to me," Anakin explained. "It was just this place where I lived for a while."  
Obi-Wan turned his head towards Anakin and smiled.  
"I know what you mean," Obi-Wan admitted. "I left the Jedi Order when I was younger to live on another planet - Melida/Daan. It was never truly home to me, though. I didn't feel right until I returned to the Jedi Temple."  
  
"My home was always where my Mom was," Anakin admitted, surprising himself. How long had he kept those thoughts to himself? He regretted it instantly and steeled himself for some lecture on how the Jedi temple was his home now, and he should just accept it.  
"And you always have the feeling that one day you'll actually go home?" asked Obi-Wan gently.  
The fiercely genuine sincerity in the tone surprised Anakin. Anakin decided that he definitely had to get to know his fellow apprentice better.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Miserable, Emalda stood in the room with the machine. Too despairing to even argue, she sat in the chair when Natheb asked. The loss of the Fahren, her beloved ship, had struck Emalda as profoundly as the death of her sister, Yalana. The difference was that she had known who had caused Yalana's death. That anger had given her a focus and a strength that little else could. The Fahren had simply disappeared, seeming to wink out of existence without a single trace. Emalda found she could not cope, she just felt hollow, felt a tightness in her throat that would not go away. She had to struggle to stop herself from breaking out into tears.  
  
She attached herself to the machine almost absent-mindedly, barely looking up when Georeb brought Han Solo into the room at gun point. While Natheb shouted at the former smuggler, Emalda stared stupidly at a spot on the ceiling. The familiar pull of the machine began to sap her strength, channeling the Force through her. To Emalda's irritation, she found it harder and harder to concentrate on her thoughts. She gritted her teeth and tensed in the chair. She could not stop the machine now that it had started but she could fight against the relentless pull on her mind. She refused to let Natheb win, refused to give in.  
  
Memories of her childhood surfaced. Memories of her and Yalana levitating surprised fish clear out of their rivers. Memories of her mother reading her daughters' futures in cups of tea leaves. The prediction that Yalana would never leave the planet and that Emalda would not leave until she met her true love. With the memories came a sense of joy that Emalda had been missing. It leant her a strength she had almost forgotten. As her shielding strengthened, so did the pull of the machine. Emalda began to tire, the strain of resisting taking its toll. As her memories faded, so did her frenzied will to resist. Emalda slumped in the seat and this time she did not stop the tears from coming.  
  
* * * * *   
  
Leia left the office of one of her fellow Senators wearily. No end of problems beset the New Republic and it seemed at times as if she was the only one bearing the weight of it. Feeling old before her time, Leia trudged wearily down the corridor. She was stretching out her hand to open the door to her quarters when a shrill whistle startled her. She turned to see Artoo-Detoo motoring down the corridor. See-threepio came shuffling after him.  
"Minister? Minister?" he called insistently.  
  
Leia wearily straightened her shoulders and turned to face the two approaching droids.  
"What is it, See-threepio? I'm very tired."  
"It's a message from Ambassador Solo, Minister."  
Leia smiled grimly, she would never get used to her husband being called 'Ambassador'. She knew that Han would probably never get used to it either.  
"What does he want?" asked Leia. "He's barely been off the planet for two hours."  
  
"I'm not sure what that was about, Minister," hesitated See-threepio. "But he's just transmitted a message asking for your personal attention. He says that it is important... but then again, we are discussing Ambassador Solo."  
Leia withheld her sigh and followed the two droids back down the corridor. Her head was beginning to ache.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Emalda looked at Natheb through eyes flooded with tears.  
"It's not that bad, Emalda," said Georeb awkwardly. "When we have the Minister, we won't have anything to worry about."  
Emalda stayed stubbornly silent.  
"With the kind of Force ability she has," continued Natheb. "We won't have to worry about what's left of the Imperial fleet or the New Republic fleet either. We'll be safe, Emalda. Your sacrifice has made it all possible."  
The fanatical passion with which he spoke was too familiar to Emalda to affect her.  
"I wasn't the only one who made sacrifices," she snarled. "Yalana did too."  
  
Natheb grew silent and narrowed his eyes at her accusing tone, "Accidents happen, Emalda."  
"...And usually to those who oppose you, Natheb," answered Emalda.  
With that she turned and began to stalk off down the corridor, brushing roughly past Georeb.  
"Emalda?" called Natheb, his voice dangerously polite. "I wouldn't go too far, if I were you. We might still need you if we fail to get the Minister and I wouldn't want you to suffer an accident yourself."  
She heard the threat implied in his words but she refused to turn around. She left the building without once looking back.  
  
* * * * *  
  
It turned out that Anakin and Obi-Wan's Masters returned while the boys were still eating. Luke had come back with them, obviously content in the company of his fellow Jedi. Anakin suspected that Obi-Wan had known they might be back early and had prepared surplus food in preparation. He noticed the grateful smile that Qui-Gon gave to Obi-Wan when the extra food was brought out. Anakin felt a pang of jealousy that he had not thought of it first. At that point, Ben sat beside him and Anakin's attention was diverted. His jealously forgotten, Anakin listened carefully to the discussions of their Masters.  
  
"No, I'm afraid Leia hasn't progressed too far in the Jedi arts," admitted Luke, sounding regretful. "She just hasn't made the time or given the commitment needed."  
"That's one of the reasons the old Jedi Order used to take in candidates when they were extremely young," said Ben. "So that being a Jedi is not something they do, it is who they are."  
"Then again," interrupted Master Qui-Gon. "Every being has the right to choose their commitments, they can prioritize however they choose."  
Ben nodded his agreement, "Of course. I'm simply pointing out that being a Jedi is hard enough, without the burdens of a family or another job to complicate things."  
Luke smiled thoughtfully and Anakin got the feeling that Ben was about to be outnumbered. Qui-Gon and Luke exchanged a conspiratorial glance that Ben seemed to miss.  
  
"So, you think that Jedi should not become emotionally attached to anything?" asked Qui-Gon.  
"Of course not. You'd be expelled from the Jedi Order," Ben answered automatically. Then Ben seemed to realize what he'd said and his face took on a slightly sullen expression. Only now did the collaboration between the other two Masters become clear.  
Luke smiled slyly at him, "There's no Jedi Order here to be expelled from."  
Anakin did not have to have a mental bond with Ben to tell that his Master was profoundly irritated.  
  
The door chime interrupted the tense moment. Obi-Wan answered the door quickly, without being asked. Anakin was again torn between respect and jealousy. His emotional tug of war was interrupted when he recognized a familiar voice.  
"Hello, is Master Luke here?" asked See-threepio.  
Luke rose from his feet, instantly, "I'm here See-threepio."  
"Sir, I have a message from Mistress Leia," answered the droid. "She has gone to meet Ambassador Solo and will not be joining you for the evening meal."  
"Gone to meet him?" frowned Luke. "I thought Han was still on Corrusant. Where is he?"  
"On the planet Tapen, I believe. It is only an hour's travel from Corrusant and Ambassador Solo was most insistent that she come at once."  
  
Luke dismissed the droid and returned to his seat.   
"Does she often leave that abruptly?" asked Ben.  
"No," said Luke slowly. "She usually plans everything days in advance - she has to, her job is difficult to leave."  
"Do you want to check up on her?" asked Qui-Gon.  
Luke laughed, startling Obi-Wan, who was sitting next to him. Anakin nearly smirked at Obi-Wan's loss of composure. Then Anakin remembered that Jedi were supposed to be above such things and did his best to repress the thought. Obi-Wan didn't seem to understand Luke's reaction but Anakin thought he, himself, could. Anakin didn't know Leia very well but he did know Padme Amidala.  
  
"Mistress Leia is not the sort who needs checking up on, is she Master Luke?" guessed Anakin.  
Luke smiled in response, "Not only a senator but also a former rebel fighter. She's no Jedi knight but she's not helpless either."  
Anakin found himself grinning back, pleased at having guessed right. He was also glad that he and his 'son' had something in common. Luke had a haunted look about him that only faded when he smiled. Anakin promised himself that he'd do his best to keep that haunted look at bay. He was fairly confident he could manage it.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Leia emerged onto the landing platform at Tapen wearily. Her headache was threatening to become a migraine. Tapen was a planet of oceans and most of its cities were floating. It had made a pleasant holiday destination when Leia was a child but Leia was not here for her memories. She crossed the landing platform and went into the city.  
  
Leaving the small shuttle she'd borrowed in the care of her pilot, she moved out into the crowded streets. Han had asked her to meet him in a small cornershop. It was near enough to the landing platform for her to walk. The walk gave her time to plan, to think through all the possibilities. Han had been sketchy with the details, simply telling her that a former Imperial Lab had been found. Apparently, the Lab and its workers had carried on business as usual, isolated from their surroundings and unaware of the fall of the Empire. Most were refusing to give away any information but one scientist had promised to give them the information they wanted. The only condition was that Leia meet with the scientist and personally vouch for his safety.  
  
Leia reached the small cornershop and scanned the faces of the crowd. For not the first time, she found that she was too small to see over the crowd. She resorted to other methods, feeling with the Force for Han's presence. After four attempts, Leia couldn't sense him at all. Not that that meant much, Leia was not exactly skilled at this. It was also possible that Han was late or had forgotten, as he was prone to do. All Leia could do was order some food and wait.  
  
She threaded her way through the crowd to the counter but soon changed her mind about the food. The counter and the area behind it were filthy and covered with insects. In the corner, a patch of mould was thriving happily. Grimacing, she bought a bottled water and then weaved her way back out of the crowd. She selected a table and settled down to wait. She was barely seated when a man appeared at her elbow.  
  
Leia looked up at him questioningly, "Can I help you?"  
The man frowned, "I'm not sure. Maybe. Do you know Mrs Solo?"  
"That would be me. Did Han send you?"  
The man's grin revealed several missing teeth, "I thought you might be the one. Come on, I'll take you to your husband."  
Leia followed him out of the cornerstore, her hand patting the replacement blaster she'd bought only a few hours earlier. She trusted Han but she aware that his friends were not always the most reliable in the world - especially his business associates.  
  
She was led around a few corners and into a block of apartments. They took the turbolift to one of the highest floors and moved along the corridor. The man rapped heavily on the door and Leia heard sounds of movement in response. She began to feel uneasy about this. After a few moments, the door was unlocked. Leia's guide pushed open the door and motioned for her to enter. Slipping one hand casually to the handle of her blaster, Leia walked in. The room was small and, Leia noted unhappily, filled with hiding places.  
  
The first attack came from the left, even before the door closed behind her. A pair of large arms encircled her waist. Leia swung the butt of her blaster backwards, blindly connecting with her attacker. Even as the first attacker was falling, a second was starting towards her. This attacker was clearly an Ekash. He'd tried to conceal the fact with clothing but the fringe of golden hair that spilled from the sides of his hood betrayed him. Leia raised her blaster and fired unflinchingly.  
  
With his mouth open in a silent cry of astonishment, the Ekash crumpled to the floor. Leia's former guide seized her blaster arm and twisted it behind her back. Leia fired again, hoping to get lucky and shoot her attacker. Her aim was wild and the smell of scorched carpet was repugnant. Her wrist was twisted sharply and she dropped the blaster with a cry of pain. Two other Ekash started towards Leia. Though they held blasters in their hands, they were obviously intending to do the job as roughly as possible.  
  
Bracing herself against the man behind her, Leia kicked out with both feet. She caught the first Ekash in the neck, hard enough to pitch him over backwards. The second instantly hesitated and then raised his blaster at Leia. The last thing Leia managed to do before the stun bolt plunged her into unconsciousness was to call desperately for Luke.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Master Obi... I mean Master Ben, and I went to Ragoon 6," admitted Anakin, somewhat reluctantly.  
He watched carefully for the other padawan's reaction. He knew his Master, an older Obi-Wan, had always looked back on those times fondly. In point of fact, he was often known to ramble on if one was not careful. Obi-Wan seemed to think about Anakin's comment for a moment.  
"I guess it was always a way of reassuring myself that Qui-Gon wanted me," said Obi-Wan thoughtfully.  
Anakin's eyebrows rose, "Why wouldn't he?"  
  
Obi-Wan looked strangely at Anakin for a moment and then shook his head. He smiled grimly to himself and didn't answer the question. He looked instead at the small table between them and the fruit bowl set neatly in the middle. Anakin was not going to be so easily deterred. He had heard too many tales of this supposedly ideal Master/Padawan team to not be curious. Since he had only known Qui-Gon for a few days before the man had died, Anakin had not had time to notice any flaws the man might have had. Not that Anakin wanted Qui-Gon to be flawed or thought that the flaws of a Jedi Master would be easy to discover. Nevertheless, he felt that any crack in the perfect facade would make Qui-Gon appear more human somehow.  
  
"Why wouldn't he?" repeated Anakin.  
Obi-Wan bit his lip uncertainly. He looked around to ensure that they were alone before replying.  
"Well, he didn't ask me to be his Padawan," Obi-Wan whispered. "I asked him to be my Master."  
Anakin's eyebrows refused to raise any further so he pursed his lips instead, "What's wrong with that?"  
"Well, I know I'm being foolish but I used to be afraid that he took me on out of pity. You know, because he felt sorry for me and not because he thought I was worth the effort."  
A few things clicked into place in Anakin's mind, "That's why you make such a point to make yourself useful. You don't want him to regret his decision."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded with something close to embarrassment at being found out. That was an expression that Anakin had rarely seen on the face of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi with a reputation for being pleasant and stoically reliable.  
"My Master only took me because Qui-Gon had wanted to," said Anakin quietly, before he realized what he was saying. "It was Qui-Gon's dying wish. Sometimes I'm afraid that that's the only reason that my Master... no, wait, the only reason the entire Jedi Order accepted me at all."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled sympathetically, "So much for that Jedi serenity, huh?"  
Anakin smiled back, "What do they say? We are not saints but seekers."  
"Well, I, for one, have a lot of seeking left to do," Obi-Wan sighed theatrically.  
Anakin laughed out loud. The sound of Obi-Wan's laughter mingled with his own. Anakin thought it strange that such serious conversations usually gave way to laughter but everything about the other young man seemed strange to him. He hoped he would learn more in time.  
  
Almost absentmindedly, Anakin used the Force to levitate a piece of fruit from the ball into his hand. He noticed Obi-Wan watching him and wondered if the other padawan would scold him for such a frivolous use of the Force. When Obi-Wan remained quiet, Anakin bit into the fruit. The fruit was juicier than he'd thought and juice dribbled down his chin onto his tunic. A sound like muffled laughter came from Obi-Wan. Still smirking, Obi-Wan levitated a napkin onto Anakin's lap.  
"Careful," Obi-Wan said with a straight face. "Better to be safe than soaked."  
  
Before Anakin could think of a suitable retort, Ben hurried into the room.  
"You too, come quickly," Ben said sharply.  
Anakin discarded the fruit and napkin so quickly that they rolled off the table and onto the floor, where the juice began to stain the carpet. Without waiting to see that they were following, Ben left the room again. Anakin was not far behind. He turned to see Obi-Wan gingerly pick up the fruit and place it properly on the table before joining them.  
  
They hurried from their quarters, having to sprint to keep up with Ben. Anakin thought ruefully that people with such short legs shouldn't be allowed to move that quickly. Then he realized that Obi-Wan had exactly the same legs but was having just as much trouble keeping up. Ben's was a speed born of experience, not ability.  
  
They moved through the crowded corridors towards the hangar bay. Luke and Qui-Gon were waiting for them. Luke was watching with barely restrained impatience as an X-wing fighter was prepared for flight. Qui-Gon stood beside him, most of his attention focused on the nearby Fahren.  
"What's going on?" asked Anakin.  
Obi-Wan looked up questioningly at Qui-Gon.  
  
"Something's happened to Leia," Luke answered tensely. "I heard her cry for help. According to the Tapen government, she's been kidnapped. Apparently they tried to smuggle her onto a spacecraft. The customs officers noticed but the ship took off before they could stop it. Tapen ships gave chase but they lost the kidnappers near the Ekash homeworld."  
"That's too much of a coincidence for me," said Qui-Gon gravely.  
"The New Republic is sending a squadron of ships," explained Ben. "We thought it best if we joined them."  
Qui-Gon indicated the Fahren, "Ben and Anakin should take the Fahren. Anakin's the most familiar with the controls. Luke will take his own X-wing and Obi-Wan and I can take a borrowed starfighter."  
  
Anakin nodded, concentration overriding any of his emotions that cared to surface just now. As the workcrew finally signalled that the X-wing was ready to go, Luke moved quickly towards it. As he reached it and began to climb the ladder, he paused.  
"May the Force be with you all," he called and then settled into the pilot seat.  
Anakin and Ben moved towards the Fahren while Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan headed to another section of the hangar. There was a crisis and they would meet it like Jedi.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	4. Rescue

DISCLAIMER: I'm a poor Uni student... don't sue me... yadda yadda yadda. Star Wars and all the wonderful characters therein belong to George Lucas and some studio. I make no profit, I just get hysterical joy from writing down all the ideas that bounce around in my head. Emalda and the Ekash belong to me, however. If anybody, including George Lucas, wants to borrow them, they have to ask first.  
RATING: PG-13  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: You only have to have seen the movies for this to make sense. There are spoilers for JA #1-16 and Jedi Search.  
SUMMARY: A desperate Leia calls for help. In the past, Padawan Anakin and Padawan Obi-Wan hear her call, dragging them and their Masters on an adventure that will change their lives forever.  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
STAR WARS:  
A LIFE OF THEIR OWN  
  
Leia's eyes opened groggily. The ceiling above her was white and patterned with small brown spots. She was lying on something smooth and hard. As she orientated herself, she became aware that she was not lying but sitting or rather slouching, in a cold metal chair. She moved her head to see the rest of the room. In the corner sat a large round machine, whose purpose Leia could only guess at.   
  
A flicker of movement caught her attention and she turned her head to the other side. A man was watching her carefully, an Ekash, by the looks of him. Leia's vision cleared and she recognized him as Georeb. He was watching her carefully. Leia went to get up and realized that she'd been tied to the chair.  
"It's alright," said Georeb. "We're not going to hurt you. We just need your help."  
"You have a funny way of asking for it," snapped Leia firmly.  
Georeb looked genuinely regretful and hung his head. He bit his lip in indecision.  
  
"We're just doing what we think is best...," he tried to explain.  
"You'll have to explain to me how is kidnapping is the best way to accomplish anything," Leia interrupted him acidly.  
"You've brought it on yourselves," said Georeb, becoming calmer. "We see it every day. The New Republic expands into more territory, every day more independent systems are swallowed by it. We're just protecting our homeworld, we have no other choice."  
Leia stared at him in disbelief, "The New Republic doesn't conquer star systems. We negotiate, nobody is forced to join."  
Georeb smiled sadly at her, "If only that were true. I've heard the truth from Natheb."  
"He's a liar..."  
  
"Don't you think that's a bit strong?" asked a voice.  
Leia turned her head to see Natheb walking towards her, smiling pleasantly. Georeb made to stand but Natheb waved at him to relax. Natheb turned to face Leia, "Has Georeb explained that we need your help? Unfortunately, we didn't think you'd agree if we asked you but your cooperation is not necessary," continued Natheb. "We would have liked to have taken this slowly but a squadron of New Republic fighters are approaching the planet. Emalda has run off somewhere to sulk, so we need you to divert them for us."  
"I won't call them off or allow myself to be used as a hostage," interrupted Leia icily.  
Natheb smiled again, "That's not what I have in mind. Your Force ability can be used to divert those fighters and I don't need your cooperation to use it."  
  
He leant over her. She flinched but all he did was attach electrodes to her head. The machine beside her began to rotate and she could almost feel it pulling at her. Natheb smiled at her and nodded at Georeb. Georeb swivelled round in his chair to a console. He activated a communications channel, broadband and audio only.  
"To all approaching ships, there is no Ekash homeworld. Repeat, to all approaching ships, there is no Ekash homeworld..."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Anakin sat by the control panel of the Fahren, even though he knew it was running automatically at the moment. He was not needed but he simply wanted to be there. Ben had shaken his head disapprovingly and then withdrawn to meditate. Sometimes Anakin's Master would tolerate certain behaviours and turn a blind eye, as long as it was only over a trivial matter.  
  
Anakin double-checked the instruments beneath his fingertips. It was only a matter of minutes before they should emerge from hyperspace near the Ekash homeworld. He knew he should go tell Master Ben but he could not quite bring himself to leave the controls. He wondered what Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were doing at the moment. Luke was flying his own X-wing. Anakin felt a surge of pride, he had heard gossip from the dockworkers that Luke was an accomplished pilot. A hero, one of them had said. Anakin's son was a hero. That thought was oddly comforting.  
  
All too soon, the Fahren dropped smoothly out of hyperspace into real space. Most of the New Republic ships had already emerged but seemed to be milling about uncertainly. The purple tinged planet of the Ekash loomed large on the viewscreen. Almost immediately, the Fahren began receiving a transmission. Anakin flicked on the comm unit and a voice filtered through the speakers.  
"..no Ekash homeworld. Repeat, to all approaching ships, there is no Ekash homeworld..."  
  
Anakin blinked at the suddenly empty starscape. The Ekash homeworld was gone. Over the comm he could hear the confused chatter of the New Republic fighters.  
"Where'd the target go?"  
"Dunno, maybe our coordinates are wrong."  
"What do we do now?"  
"We have no choice but to abort the mission, all ships return to Corrusant."  
  
Anakin's nimble fingers moved to the navigation computer to begin calculations. A rough calloused hand covered one of Anakin's hands. Anakin looked up to find Ben watching him curiously. Anakin made another move towards the navigation computer but Ben shook his head firmly.  
  
Ben activated a comm channel to the squadron, "It's a mind trick, an illusion. The planet is still there, you just can't see it."  
There was a pause before anyone answered, "If we can't see the target, we cannot engage it."  
Qui-Gon's voice interrupted, strangely distorted by the comm channel, "A team of Jedi can travel to the planet and knock out the source of the illusion."  
"Do we have a team of Jedi?" came the hesitant reply.  
"We do." answered Qui-Gon. "In the meantime, keep your ships alert. You'll have to avoid receiving messages of any kind. It's the only way to avoid any more compulsive messages."  
"Copy that. Red and Green squadrons, prepare for total radio silence in five minutes..."  
  
Anakin ignored the rest of the instructions given to the fighter pilots and turned to his Master.  
Ben was frowning at him, "You can't see the planet, Anakin?"  
Anakin looked back out at the empty starscape and shook his head.  
"Concentrate," suggested Ben. "Use the Force."  
  
Anakin closed his eyes and tightened his mental shields. As he did so, he felt a drag on the corner of his mind. Searching, he soon found the thought that was not his own. He carefully separated it from his own and discarded it. This done, he tightened his mental shields a little further and opened his eyes. The Ekash homeworld once again filled the viewscreen.  
  
Heat rose in Anakin's cheeks. Just when he'd thought he understood the Force, he'd fallen for a trick a Jedi Initiate could have seen through. He quickly dampened down his embarrassment, knowing it would earn him a lecture from Ben.  
"There's no need for embarrassment, young one," said Ben quietly. "It is a very powerful illusion."  
Anakin blushed again, realizing that once again he'd been unable to shield his thoughts from his Master. Ben looked as if he were going to say something further but seemed to decide against it.  
  
Instead Ben opened another comm channel, "Qui-Gon, how exactly are we going to do this?"  
It was Luke that answered, "We'll need to get close enough to the planet to land."  
"And a way to distract enemy fighters," said Qui-Gon.  
"Leia told me that the Ekash fleet is practically non-existent," said Luke thoughtfully. "They're xenophobic and almost never leave their homeworld."  
"We don't need to worry about enemy fighters, then," Ben sighed with relief.  
"No," said Luke. "But they do have ion cannons capable of taking out small fighters."  
"Ah," said Ben slowly. "That just might be a problem."  
  
Anakin found it difficult to keep quiet but he knew that the older Jedi would not appreciate his interruptions so he kept his thoughts to himself. He wondered if Obi-Wan were having as much trouble, if he were sitting next to Qui-Gon and listening mutely to the conversation.  
"We'll only have our three ships to work with. Would a decoy be able to draw the cannon fire?" asked Qui-Gon.  
"Possibly," said Luke uncertainly. "But it would mean one or two less Jedi on the planet."  
Ben looked at Anakin thoughtfully, "Anakin might be able to do it."  
  
"Anakin?" asked Luke, sounding surprised. "Can he handle it?"  
Anakin's breath caught in his throat. He wasn't sure why Ben had suggested it but he knew his flying techniques had been severely disapproved of by his more planet-bound Master. He didn't think he could bear it, if Ben told Anakin's own son that Anakin couldn't cut it.  
"He's a capable pilot but he's also erratic and unpredictable," said Ben confidently. "He'd make the perfect decoy. The cannon operators won't know what to do."  
Anakin's mouth fell open. Had he just been insulted and praised in the same sentence?  
  
"That's settled then," said Qui-Gon contentedly. "Anakin can fly decoy while we land. Once we're there, we need to disable the illusion and find Leia."  
"I can track Leia," said Luke. "The illusion must be using up a lot of energy - either from a person or from a machine. Either way, Qui-Gon, do you think you could track it?"  
"Obi-Wan and I will do our best."  
"Good," said Luke. "Ben, if Anakin gets a chance to land try to join up with me. One person can fly the Fahren, can't they?"  
"Anakin?" asked Ben.  
Anakin grinned in response since he knew very well that he could fly the Fahren by himself. He'd been itching to do it ever since he'd seen the ship.  
"He thinks so," Ben answered Luke's question.  
"Alright," said Luke. "We're set. Let's get on with it."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Emalda huddled miserably in the hangar bay, in the empty space where the Fahren used to sit. She'd failed. She couldn't quite put it into words but she knew instinctively that she'd failed and Emalda always trusted her instincts. She sat with her head on her knees, listening to the communications chatter of Ekash Guards on a stolen listening device. They had been looking for her earlier but something else seemed to be keeping them occupied now. The listening device occasionally broke up into static but it was tuned to the same frequency as the commlinks that all the guards carried.   
  
"...there's a ship coming in near the north tower.. so small, didn't detect it entering the atmosphere..."  
"...the ion cannons can't hit it. We need aerial support..."  
"...starfighter just landed to the east of the city! Send guards..."  
"...X-Wing coming in low. Look out! Pull back!..."  
"...I didn't copy that. Where's the X-Wing?..."  
"...Someone find that X-Wing..."  
"... a silver ship just took out ion cannon 15... its off our screens again.... someone find those ships!..."  
  
Emalda's ears perked up. It wasn't much to go on but she knew that the Fahren was a silver ship. It wasn't easy to identify the Fahren's model, Emalda even suspected that Yulana had built the Fahren from scratch. The Fahren was all that Emalda had left of Yulana and she had to at least try to get it back.  
  
Tucking the box-shaped listening device beneath one arm, Emalda crept to the hangar door. She looked out but all she saw was the landing pad, the entrance to the mines and the surrounding forest. She sighed, knowing that the Fahren wasn't going to come back. She could think of no reason that the thieves would even return to the Ekash homeworld. It must be another silver ship and not the Fahren after all.  
  
Emalda was turning to reenter the hangar when she heard a familiar hum. She shrank back where she could see without being seen. Sure enough, the Fahren soon appeared. The pilot maneuvered the ship skillfully and had obviously used this particular landing pad before. The trees and weeds combined to make the landing pad invisible from the air. You simply had to know it was there.  
  
There was a chance Emalda could sneak onboard, reclaim the ship. She tensed herself for a mad sprint. Much to her disappointment, the Fahren did not land. It hovered and extended a ramp. Someone jumped from the ramp and scrambled to get undercover. The ramp retracted and the Fahren took off once more. The person left behind by the Fahren started towards the hangar. Emalda swore and backtracked into the darkness. She turned off the listening device and hid. The sound of booted footsteps on the landing pad was painfully loud. It was also with a certain amount of pain that Emalda realized that she was unarmed.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Leia could barely focus. The dizziness was almost overwhelming and her last meal threatened to re-emerge. She struggled against the straps restraining her. Georeb remained constantly by the console while Natheb kept drifting in and out of her field of vision. In the background, Leia could hear the reports of the Ekash guards.  
  
"...the starfighter's been abandoned. No sign of the pilot..."  
"...the silver ship just took out ion cannon 28..."  
"...we found the X-wing. It's been abandoned as well..."  
"...all units be alert for two or more intruders on foot..."  
  
Leia heard the distinctive beep of Natheb activating his own comlink, "Cancel that, all units fall back and prepare to close off the city."  
"...Yes, sir. Will do..."  
Leia swallowed and found the strength to speak, "Not... going so well... is it?"  
Natheb walked back into sight. He appeared unruffled by her comment, he was even smiling but his eyes were flashing angrily. Georeb looked up at the confrontation.  
"Only a few New Republic fighters even managed to find this planet," he said icily. "A handful of individuals won't accomplish much."  
Leia smiled indulgently at him, "If you... say so."  
  
Yelling and screaming erupted over the communications channel and Natheb turned away from Leia.  
"...intruders inside the city..."  
"...look out! look out!....  
"...get behind them... try and flank them..."  
Several of the comlinks went silent. A moment later there was another yell, just outside the room. Natheb drew a blaster nervously and locked the door. Georeb slipped a pair of earmuffs over his ears and handed a pair to Natheb. Natheb walked over to Leia. As he slipped them over Leia's ears, all sound disappeared. It was as if the whole universe had been covered by a blanket.  
  
With all the background noise shut out, all Leia could hear was the sound of her own body - her own heartbeat, wheezing breath and the sound of her occasional swallows. She watched as Natheb slipped earmuffs over his own ears and stood facing the locked door expectantly. Georeb's hands hovered over the controls.  
  
After a moment, the door began to glow red hot. It was eerie to watch the metal burn slowly, sparks showering down onto the floor but remaining deathly silent to Leia's ears. A large chunk of metal fell forward noiselessly. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stepped though the hole, jade and azure lightsabres blazing. Obi-Wan watched behind them while Qui-Gon advanced on Natheb. Qui-Gon, maddeningly calm, spoke. The words were lost on Leia and quite possibly on Natheb also.  
  
Natheb simply grinned, unconcerned, and Georeb flipped a switch on the control panel. Instantly Qui-Gon's mouth opened in a silent gasp and he fell to his knees. He held one of his hands to his ears, the other clutching his lightsabre in a quivering grasp. Obi-Wan was affected as well, clutching his head with his hands and writhing on the floor. His lightsabre had been discarded and his mouth was moving frantically but this time Leia was glad she couldn't hear the words.  
  
Natheb smirked, unaffected and protected by the earmuffs. Raising a blaster, he approached Qui-Gon. To his credit, Qui-Gon managed to deflect the first stun bolt with his lightsabre. He was not so lucky with the second. The aged Jedi Master slumped to the floor and remained unmoving. Natheb then moved towards Obi-Wan while Georeb gathered up their lightsabres.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Anakin swooped past the North tower again. He was moving east, away from the secluded spot where he'd dropped off his Master. Nobody on the ground seemed to have realized yet that there was an extra Jedi on foot. Given the thick undergrowth and Ben's skill, it was unlikely anyone could have stopped him if they had. It was even questionable whether the Ekash even knew they were fighting Jedi, since the Jedi had been all but wiped out years before.  
  
The ion cannon protecting the North Tower had already been destroyed but, luckily for the Ekash, Anakin wasn't interested in the North Tower. He made a few more passes, watching the soldiers scatter in panic. The Ekash Guards didn't seem very experienced and were rather prone to breaking rank and fleeing. Anakin swung back towards the centre of the city. An alarm on his console prompted Anakin to react before he recognized the problem. A huge blue energy field had been generated to cover the inner city. It was impenetrable to ships and judging from the panic of the outer city guards, also impenetrable to people on foot. Not only Anakin but also the guards manning the North Tower, were trapped outside the inner city. As Anakin swerved away, he realized that there was little chance his Master had managed to make it inside the city before the field had been raised. He hoped the others had been faster but then again, there was no guarantee that they were heading for the city at all. He hoped it wasn't vital to the mission but he had a sinking feeling it was.  
  
A mental scream tore into Anakin's mind. He jerked and screamed out loud himself. He could literally feel the pain in the other mind. Anakin covered his ears with his hands and squeezed his eyes shut as he desperately tried to raise his mental shields. The scream faded into an insistent wail and Anakin managed to gather his thoughts. The wail faded further into a moan and then into a murmur that indicated the screamer's unconsciousness. Anakin took deep breaths and tried to calm his body.  
  
The scream had come along the Master/Padawan bond that Anakin shared with Ben but he knew instinctively that it had not been his Master's mental voice. He couldn't think of anyone else who could use their bond, unless it was the younger Obi-Wan. Feeling that this was the answer, Anakin opened his eyes. He found that in the few seconds where he had lost control, the Fahren had careened wildly and was now aimed straight at the ground. The colour drained from Anakin's cheeks as his hands returned to the controls with Force enhanced speed. The Fahren began to curve upwards again but it was too late.  
  
The Fahren's nose lifted but it's belly ploughed into the soft soil. The force of the impact threw sand up in a shockwave. The sound of shrieking metal filled the cabin as the Fahren jerked and skidded across the ground. Anakin was thrown about in his seat, bouncing painfully off the control console and then back into his seat. Anakin looked up again just in time to watch as the Fahren slammed into the base of the North Tower.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Emalda's grip on the listening device had begun to turn her knuckles white. Her legs had started to cramp from maintaining a crouch. The footsteps of the stranger had stopped a few seconds ago but Emalda wasn't foolish enough to think the stranger had disappeared. By now, she was so terrified that she would have preferred even Georeb's remorse or Natheb's condescension to this anonymous terror.  
  
There was the sound of blaster fire outside and a strange hum which she didn't recognize. Emalda set the listening device on the ground and shuffled forward. As the noise level grew, so did Emalda's courage. She peered out through the hangar door. She recognized the stranger who had come from the Fahren by its heavy brown robe. The brilliant azure lightsabre it wielded was more of a surprise.  
  
The stranger was moving gracefully before a troop of Ekash guards. At first glance it seemed like a dance but then the guards began firing again. Emalda could feel the stranger calling on the Force. The blaster fire was easily deflected back at the guards. The lightsabre swung up repeatedly, eerily accurate. The stranger ran head on at the guards, his sudden charge taking the guards by surprise. The stranger leaped over the guards' heads, deflecting two bolts in mid-air. He landed behind them and swung into them with deadly efficiency. Pivoting to take out the last guard, the stranger finished with his back to Emalda. He was literally the last one standing.  
  
Emalda couldn't hide a grin as she imagined Natheb's response to such a display. This was how the Force was supposed to be used, not twisted and manipulated by machinery. Emalda wished she dared to ask this stranger to teach her but she knew she was better off out of sight. While the stranger studied the carnage that he had been created, Emalda studied the stranger. From the body shape she guessed it was a man, though the heavy robe made it difficult to tell. He was roughly the same size as Emalda but with a more solid build. His back was facing to her, so that only the back of his head was visible. His hair was the typical sandy-brown of the Ekash.  
  
At that moment, the stranger turned around and looked directly at Emalda. At first Emalda was too surprised by the stranger's face to react. It just so happened that Emalda had never seen a human with a beard. It threw her for a minute and it didn't help that the stranger's hair was the same colour as that of the Ekash. There was, however, no mistaking the humanity in those soft blue eyes. Emalda had never seen blue eyes before and she was entranced.  
  
"Well, are you going to come out or are you just going to stand there?" asked the stranger, his tone calm and his accent strange. Giving herself up to the inevitable, Emalda straightened and walked proudly out into the open.  
"I'm going to come out," she answered defiantly.  
She walked up to him and faced him squarely, extremely aware of his still glowing lightsabre. The stranger studied her curiously for a moment.  
  
"I don't suppose you know where the city might be, do you?" he asked dryly.  
"Of course I know," answered Emalda. "Not that its going to help you."  
The stranger smiled pleasantly, "That's quite alright. I can find it by myself."  
He turned to leave but Emalda's instincts told her not to let him.  
"No, that's not what I mean," said Emalda hurriedly. "I meant that an energy field will have been raised by now. You won't be able to get in."  
The stranger turned back to Emalda, blue eyes fixing on her thoughtfully.  
"I heard earlier that one of your ships managed to land. Perhaps they got inside the city," continued Emalda, hoping to be useful.  
"Perhaps," agreed the stranger.  
He was still giving her an assessing look.  
  
"I can't get you into the city or to the kidnapped Minister but I can get you to the Ambassador and the aides," said Emalda boldly.  
"You can take me to Han Solo?" asked the stranger. "Why would you do that?"  
Emalda's eyes hardened, "Though I would say that the chance to defeat Natheb was enough, its not. You get me back the Fahren and off this damn planet, I'll show you the way."  
The stranger raised a gentle eyebrow, "Your ship will, of course, be returned. I also give you my word that when I manage to leave this planet I will take you with me. Since the Fahren is my only way of leaving the planet, you can count on it."  
Emalda fought hard to suppress a grin of triumph, "This way, then, Stranger."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	5. Struggle

DISCLAIMER: I'm a poor Uni student... don't sue me... yadda yadda yadda. Star Wars and all the wonderful characters therein belong to George Lucas and some studio. I make no profit, I just get hysterical joy from writing down all the ideas that bounce around in my head. Emalda and the Ekash belong to me. If anybody, including George Lucas, wants to borrow them, they have to ask first.  
RATING: PG-13  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: You only have to have seen the movies for this to make sense. There are spoilers for JA #1-16 and Jedi Search.  
SUMMARY: A desperate Leia calls for help. In the past, Padawan Anakin and Padawan Obi-Wan hear her call. As a result the young Jedi find both themselves, and their Masters, dragged into an adventure that will change their lives forever.  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
STAR WARS: A LIFE OF THEIR OWN  
  
It was the pounding that awoke Anakin. At first it was the only thing that penetrated the fog of pain that shrouded his mind. Then he returned to consciousness with a jolt, startled to find himself on the floor of the Fahren's cockpit. He gathered the Force to himself and began to run a mental examination of his body. He found it difficult to concentrate but Master Ben had drilled the routine into him for just such an occasion. He started at his feet and slowly moved up his legs. His body was peppered with light scratches and bruises. One bruise was already swelling up beneath his tunic. His lightsabre rested painfully against it. Wincing, Anakin unclipped his weapon and set it on the control panel before continuing his assessment. Finding no signs of serious internal bleeding, he moved up to his neck and head.  
  
There was a long gash across his forehead, where his head had hit the control panel in the crash. There was a trickle of blood streaking down between his eyes and dripping off his nose. From the pain in his head and the way the cabin seemed to move beneath him, Anakin guessed he had a concussion. That explained the throbbing in his head but not the pounding. The pounding had very little to do with Anakin's head and a lot to do with the troop of Ekash guards trying to force their way onto the Fahren. Struggling back into the pilot's seat, Anakin scanned the control panel.  
  
The damage did not seem too severe, providing the diagnostic equipment itself hadn't been damaged. He began to prepare the Fahren for take-off, redirecting any systems which seemed too badly damaged. A shrill alarm went off beside Anakin's ear, startling him. As he moved his head a drop of blood fell from the tip of his nose to smatter against the controls. After he'd silenced the piercing noise, he turned his attention to the display.  
  
The alarm indicated that the guards had managed to wedge open one of the Fahren's hatchways. Anakin wildly searched the Fahren's controls until he found what he was looking for. In response to his frantic commands, a small panel slid open on the bottom of the Fahren's hull. An ornately moulded silver blaster with green and gold trimmings slid out and lined the guards up in its sights.  
"This is so a woman's ship," grumbled Anakin, watching on the display screen.  
The blaster let fly with two streams of fire which cut down half a dozen of the guards. The rest of the guards fled, firing their weapons harmlessly at the Fahren's shield-protected belly.  
  
Before powering up the engines, Anakin activated the proximity sensors. The sensor alarms went off almost immediately, causing Anakin to wince again. A closer look at the sensor readout showed that the nose of the Fahren was still buried under part of the North Tower. Without much choice, Anakin increased power to the shields and powered up the engines regardless. The ship groaned and shuddered under the weight of the stone but, slowly, she began to edge backwards. From the windscreen Anakin could see the guards hurriedly assembling an anti-aircraft gun but still the Fahren moved painfully slowly. Anakin urged the ship on faster, still fighting to suppress the pain in his head. With a horrible screeching sound the Fahren lurched free. Anakin swung the ship around to get a clear shot at the anti-aircraft gun. Before the smoke had even cleared enough to confirm the kill, Anakin was speeding away over the purple landscape.  
  
***  
  
Emalda led the way amongst the purple undergrowth.  
"Your planet's vegetation seems largely untouched," said Ben conversationally, ducking a branch.  
"This is a very scarcely populated area," said Emalda tightly. "That's why Natheb built his base here."  
"I've heard your people are not very fond of outsiders."  
Emalda laughed bitterly, "Natheb doesn't even like his own people."  
Ben stopped moving and when Emalda turned to look he had a strange expression on his face.  
"What?" she frowned.  
"What reason does he have for not liking you?"  
  
As Emalda opened her mouth to reply, a blaster bolt slammed into the tree trunk near her head. As Emalda was diving for the ground and cover, Ben was swinging upwards on a tree branch. Using the branch as a pivot, Ben flew into a somersault. His lightsabre ignited in mid-air and he landed out of Emalda's sight. She heard the hum of his lightsabre as it flew through the air and two screams. Then there was silence until Ben crouched by her side.  
  
Despite herself, Emalda was impressed. It seemed as if such a performance deserved a reward of sorts.  
"He hates the Force," she told him.  
"Excuse me?" frowned Ben, still focused on the ambush.  
"That's his reason for not liking me."  
"People often fear that which they do not understand."  
Emalda snorted, "That's half the problem. Natheb can't use the Force himself but he understands enough to manipulate it for his own purposes."  
  
Ben placed a gentle hand on Emalda's shoulder, "I give you my word that I will do everything in my power to stop him."  
The conviction in his tone reassured Emalda. There would be no more victims, no more Yulanas. Natheb would be stopped for good. With this thought to warm her heart, Emalda made her way to the North Tower with the blue-eyed stranger by her side.  
  
***  
  
Anakin was rising high into the atmosphere, rising above the range of the ion cannons. Once he was clear he could run the diagnostic systems and find out what his distraction had cost the exquisite ship. Another alarm went off. Anakin slammed it off angrily as the pain in his head increased. Sensors told him that the hatchway the guards had levered open had not been closed. Until it was, the Fahren refused to climb any higher. Anakin hesitated. They were not quite out of range yet but the nearest cannons were unmanned. He would have to shut the hatch manually and hope none of the guards returned while he was occupied.  
  
He activating the automatic pilot and leaving his lightsabre where it was, he rose unsteadily to his feet. He weaved his way towards the cargo bay, using the wall for support where he could. He could feel the difference in air pressure when he opened the door to the cargo bay. Following the flow of air, he staggered to the open hatchway. A blaster had been tightly wedged in the opening. Anakin pulled but the blaster stubbornly refused to move. Anakin braced his feet on either side of the hatch and tried again.  
  
After a fair amount of grunting, the blaster popped loose. Unprepared for it, Anakin fell backwards and the blaster flew over his shoulder. He could hear it bouncing across the cargo bay floor. The hatch slid shut automatically. Closing his eyes in exhaustion, Anakin propped himself up on his elbows. Tired as he was, he knew he still needed to get back to the cockpit. It was at that moment that someone grabbed him from behind.  
  
***  
  
Head held high, Leia allowed herself to be escorted down the corridor. In front of her guards dragged the unconscious forms of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. They had not moved far before they reached their destination. With a parting glance at Georeb, Leia was locked in an empty room with the incapacitated Jedi.  
  
The room was smooth and empty, there wasn't even a layer of carpet on the floor. In the roof there was a light but it was too high to reach. The door was firmly locked on the outside and there were no windows. There was, however, an air vent set high into one of the walls. Leia went to examine it, reaching up on her toes to look at it closely. She slid her fingers between the slats and pulled but the vent was firmly attached.  
  
Leia planted her feet flat against the wall and pulled again. The grating groaned but remained fixed. Panting from the effort, Leia tried again. This time her fingers slipped and she landed painfully on her back. Groaning in surrender, Leia crawled over to lay beside Qui-Gon. The Jedi Master mumbled quietly but remained unconscious.  
  
The hiss of a lightsabre being ignited quickly caught Leia's attention. A jade blade of light sliced through the vent from the inside. Leia hurried to her feet and caught the vent before it could crash noisily to the ground. A familiar face loomed out of the vent's shadows.  
"Luke!"  
"Leia! I thought it might be you, making all that noise."  
  
Luke squeezed the rest of the way out of the vent, landing in a crouch on the floor. Leia dropped to her knees and hugged him enthusiastically.  
"I knew you'd come," she smiled into his shirt.  
Luke hugged her back just as fiercely, "We were worried about you."  
Breaking the hug, Luke looked across at Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.  
"How are they?" he asked.  
"I think they're just unconscious. Natheb used some sort of sound to knock them out."  
  
"Persuasion through sound?" asked Luke. "A transmission was sent to the New Republic fleet and everyone who heard it can't see the planet any more. Since they can't see the planet, they can't attack."  
"I know how he's doing it," nodded Leia. "It's a machine... I can show you where."  
  
***  
  
As Emalda and Ben approached the North Tower, the extent of the chaos Anakin had caused became apparent. Part of the towers base had collapsed and the top of the tower was leaning dangerously. Below it, guards were running about in utter confusion.  
  
"Your friends are in the top of the tower," whispered Emalda. "And their ship is in an underground hangar beneath it."  
Ben crouched beside her, his eyes sweeping the scene intently. Emalda could not shake the feeling that he was seeing things she could not.  
"Will the tower stayed up?" she asked, studying Ben's face for a reaction.  
"As long as nobody else opens fire," Ben reassured her.  
Emalda pursed her lips, "So we're counting on luck."  
  
Ben smiled at her before leading the way towards the tower. His movement was eerily silent and Emalda had to sprint to keep up with his jog. Fortunately the rubble from the tower provided perfect cover and the guards made enough noise to disguise Emalda's stumbling progress. They reached the entrance to the tower without incident.   
  
The narrow building seemed deserted, apart from the noise outside, and the power had been disrupted. The building was dark except for where parts of the wall had fallen and the sunlight filtered through. A thin staircase wound around the outside wall, leading both upwards and downwards. Below there they could hear the sounds of movement and voices but above them was utter silence. Emalda nodded up the stairs and Ben followed.  
  
"There's no chance they could have moved the prisoners?" Emalda asked nervously as they passed a large crack in the wall.  
"We'll deal with that situation if and when we come to it," said Ben dismissively.  
They continued to climb higher and it began to get lighter as there was less damage to the walls. Ben ignited his lightsabre but remained silent. He held out a hand to help Emalda over a broken step. With a disgusted snort she waved away the help and leaped over the obstacle. Keeping a hand on the wall to guide her, she continued up the staircase independently. When she looked back, she thought she saw amusement in Ben's eyes but it was difficult to be sure in the darkness.  
  
After a while, she heard Ben stop. She turned around and came back to see what had delayed him. By the glow of his lightsabre he was examining the body of a guard. Debris from the roof had fallen across him. Emalda crouched opposite Ben, "Dead?"  
"Hasn't been for long," nodded Ben.  
He reached over to search the guards pockets, finding a security keycard.  
"This could be useful," he said to himself, tucking it into his belt.  
He stood up and gazed thoughtfully up the staircase, "He was probably one of the last to flee."  
  
Emalda turned the guard's head so that she could see his face. When she got a clear view she felt as if she was going to be sick.  
"Oh my god," she gasped. "I knew him. We grew up together."  
Ben was instantly by her side again, "I'm sorry. There's nothing we can do for him now."  
He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder but Emalda didn't seem to notice.  
"He probably didn't even know why he was being attacked," said Emalda, the anger coiling in her stomach. "He was a good man. He wouldn't have supported Natheb if he'd known the truth of what he is."  
  
"The truth? What do you mean?" asked Ben.  
"That he's evil," spat Emalda.  
"We have no right to judge that."  
"You're defending him? You're saying that good people are capable of this sort of thing?"  
"That is not what I said," Ben corrected her coldly. "We can't judge whether or not he's evil but we can judge guilt or innocence. And punish him for it. Justice will be done here, have no fear of that."  
Emalda brushed his hand off angrily and stamped up the stairs. After a minute, she could hear Ben following. The unfairness of it burned at her, mostly because she knew he was right.  
  
Emalda was so caught up in her anger that she almost missed the turn in the dark. She waited for Ben and then they moved along the landing by the lightsabre's glow. Ben looked up cautiously at any doors they passed but all remained quiet. The other thing that Emalda trusted, besides her instincts, was her sense of direction. They reached their destination without a single wrong turn. At last they came to the dead end that she'd seen only once but still knew how to find.  
  
She waved at a door set into one of the walls. Ben moved forward and placed his ear on the door. Then he pulled out the security keycard and ran it through the slot - backwards. Rolling her eyes, Emalda took the card from him and opened the door.  
"Ambassador Solo?" called Ben, stepping forward into the room.  
Over his shoulder, Emalda could see that there was a couch in the middle of the room but little else. Frowning at the lack of response, Ben walked further into the room.  
  
A human head popped over the back of the couch, "Ben? Is that you?"  
The heads of a wookie and Leia's three aides appeared also.  
"We've come to get you out of here," said Ben warmly.  
"Its about time you people got here," said Han, breaking out into a grin. "We've been waiting for ages."  
"We are not saints but seekers."  
"You got that right."  
  
***  
  
Anakin twisted his body, rolling his full weight over his attacker. The attacker let go of Anakin for the first time and Anakin got a good look at his opponent. It was, unsurprisingly, an Ekash guard who looked extremely fit. Normally Anakin would have been more than a match for him but the concussion had disrupted Anakin's connection to the Force. What little Force he could gather was being used to keep himself conscious. Fortunately neither of them was armed.  
  
Anakin lurched unsteadily to his feet. The guard charged at him but Anakin managed to deflect the blows. Anakin tried to hit back but his balance was off and he missed. In that distraction, the guard tackled him to the ground and fell on top of him heavily. Anakin worked his foot up between their bodies and pushed. The guard was flung backwards. Anakin rolled to his feet, wincing at the pain the movement caused. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted the blaster. Focusing hard, he called on the Force. The blaster quivered and leapt up towards his outstretched hand. At that moment the entire ship shook with the impact of enemy fire. Apparently the unmanned cannons were unmanned no longer. Both Anakin and the guard were thrown to the ground. With Anakin's concentration broken, the blaster fell in midair to bounce along the deck.  
  
Anakin scrambled back to his feet, unsure of whether it was enemy fire or the concussion that was responsible for the swaying of the room. He moved jerkily towards the cockpit. All he needed was to raise the ship enough to be clear of the cannons and then he could focus his whole attention on his unwelcome guest. As he reached the door to the cockpit, another impact made him stagger to his knees. A warning siren began to blare. A metallic voice called over the speakers, "Warning. Force shields failing. Repeat, warning..."  
  
The guard smacked into Anakin from behind. They both fell forward into the cockpit.   
"If I don't get to the controls, we're both dead!" cried Anakin desperately.  
The guards reply was an unintelligible babble.  
"Oh, that's just perfect," snarled Anakin. "I don't speak Ekash."  
Anakin flipped the guard over his back and dived towards the console. Through the main screen he could see a cannon almost directly beneath the Fahren. It appeared badly damaged but was preparing to fire on the Fahren.  
  
A wild shout in Ekash drew Anakin's attention. The guard stood behind Anakin's chair, the blaster gripped tightly in his hands. The barrel of the gun was pointing squarely at Anakin's chest.  
"We're in danger," Anakin tried again.  
He gestured impatiently at the view below but the guard looked at him suspiciously. As Anakin gestured again to the view, he noticed his lightsabre sitting on the console where he had left it earlier. His seat blocked the guard's line of sight, literally giving him a secret weapon. All Anakin needed was a split second of distraction.  
  
The guard's eyes moved to focus behind Anakin's head. Anakin would have taken it for a bluff if he hadn't caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. Keeping half an eye on the guard, Anakin turned to look. A familiar Corellian cargo ship charged into his view, blasting the cannon to smithereens. The horrified guard muttered something in Ekash. Anakin seized the moment and called his lightsabre to his hand. The guard fired wildly but Anakin easily deflected the first two bolts lightly aside. The third he deflected back at the guard. With a scream, the guard collapsed.  
  
Anakin's hands shot at last to the controls and the Fahren shot high into the air. The cargo ship followed. As soon as they were out of cannon range, the cargo ship transmitted a greeting.  
"Fahren, this is the Millennium Falcon. It's Han Solo, here. Are you there, Anakin?"  
With the adrenaline of the fight fading went Anakin's concentration. The pain in his head returned with a vengeance.  
"Who?" he mumbled wearily.  
"Han Solo," repeated the voice. "Your son-in-law, remember?"  
  
In the background an unfamiliar voice piped up, "Son-in-law?"  
"It's a long story," came the cultured tones of Anakin's master.  
"Long or not, he better have a good excuse for trashing my ship...," the unfamiliar voice continued sullenly.  
"Hush," sighed Anakin's master.  
  
"Anakin?" asked Han Solo.  
"Yes?" asked Anakin sleepily.  
"Are you okay, buddy?"  
"My head hurts."  
"Alright. Drop your altitude a little so you can pop open a hatch."  
Anakin frowned. Hadn't he almost been killed trying to close a hatch in order to raise his altitude?  
"Why?" he asked.  
"Because your master is going to jump ship, literally."  
Han Solo sounded decidedly amused at the prospect.  
  
Anakin obediently dropped the Fahren lower. First one, then two thumps could be heard on the Fahren's roof. Anakin popped a hatch near the sound. He rubbed his tired eyes and waited. Master Ben was at his side. He felt strong arms lift him gently from the pilots chair. An Ekash woman took his place at the controls while Master Ben leant over him. His master's face was hazy but smiling.  
"You're a strong one, Anakin. Have I ever told you that?"  
  
***  
  
Leia squeezed backwards through the air ducts, dragging a barely conscious Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon's eyes were open but he wasn't able to do much more than kick feebly every few minutes. Leia was lying flat on her stomach, moving feet first. She would hook her feet in regular grooves on the ducts surface and pull with her legs. She couldn't even support herself on her elbows since her arms were wrapped around Qui-Gon's large chest. The duct was hot, stuffy and thoroughly unpleasant. Leia was quite glad she'd missed it on her earlier tour of the facility.  
  
Leia groped with her feet for the next foothold. She was so focused on pulling herself along, she was shocked when the floor disappeared out from under her. Qui-Gon's clothing slipped through her fingers and she fell backwards, sliding down a metal slope. She rolled twice, landing with her feet above her head. She righted herself and looked about. The duct had been straight earlier on but here it widened out enough for Leia to crouch. Unfortunately, there was a metal ramp in the floor of the duct and Leia hadn't seen it coming.  
  
She sighed and scrambled awkwardly back up the metal ramp to where Qui-Gon still lay. Slipping her arms around him again, she braced her legs against the ramp and pulled. Qui-Gon slid down the ramp, rolling on top of Leia as he did so. Muttering, Leia pushed him off.  
"Don't go anywhere," she told him. "I'm going back for Obi-Wan."  
Leia crawled back up the slope and back along the ducts. It seemed much easier now that she was moving headfirst.   
  
She soon popped her head back into the cell she'd just escaped from.  
"Luke?" she whispered.  
Luke walked towards her, a limp Obi-Wan in his arms. As Leia shuffled backwards, Luke began to push Obi-Wan into the ducts. Leia grabbed him beneath the arms and once again began shuffling slowly backwards.  
"Next time you do the duct work," she grumbled quietly.  
Luke heard her anyway, "Next time, you can lift a six foot Jedi to your shoulder height and squeeze him into a hole."  
"I think I'll stick to duct work."  
  
***  
  
From the pilot seat Emalda looked across at Ben and his young apprentice. Since the Fahren had no medical bay, Ben had stretched Anakin out on the cockpit floor. Ben's robe was folded beneath Anakin's head. With the Fahren out of cannon range, the automatic pilot was in charge.  
"This is everyone then?" said Emalda. "Are we leaving now?"  
Ben answered without looking up, "No. There are still three Jedi on the planet, not to mention the kidnapped Minister."  
"If they're inside the city, we won't be able to get to them."  
"We need to find out what they're up to," agreed Ben.  
  
Ben reached into his tunic and pulled out a commlink, "Qui-Gon, this is Ben. Are you there?"  
He waited a minute but there was no reply. Emalda turned to the console and dialled up the Fahren's flight history. Ben tried again.  
"Obi-Wan, this is Ben. Can you hear me?"  
Again there was silence. Emalda studied the records of Anakin's piloting.  
"Luke, this is Ben. Please answer."  
"I'm here, Ben. What's the matter?" came the reply, finally.  
  
"I can't contact Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan," Ben told him.  
"They're with me. Stop worrying," answered Luke. "We've found Leia too. No sign of Han, though."  
"Now its my turn to tell you not to worry. We have Han Solo, his ship and the Minister's aides but we can't get into the city as long as that shield is up."  
"We'll deal with it. You get up to the New Republic Fleet and tell them to get ready to attack the second we get rid of that illusion."  
"Understood. May the Force be with you."  
"And with you, also."  
  
Emalda listened with half an ear to the pleasantries. Most of her attention was focused on the control console. If this data was correct then Anakin was a brilliant pilot. Emalda realized she shouldn't be angry that he'd damaged her ship but grateful that there was anything left of it. She'd have to get to know this young man better, as well as his master. She looked back across to Ben and got a gentle smile for her troubles. Emalda found herself smiling back. Beneath her hair she was blushing and she turned away.  
  
Ben appeared by her side, "Luke wants us to join the New Republic Fleet in orbit. Let them know what's happening."  
"Leave the planet's atmosphere?" asked Emalda, startled. Emalda had spent a lot of time planning to leave her homeworld but she had never actually gone through with it before.  
"Is that a problem?" frowned Ben.  
"It's just my mother told me I wouldn't leave the planet until I..." She paused, staring into Ben's blue eyes. Her protest died on her lips.  
"Until?" he prompted.  
"Nothing. Let's get out of here."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


	6. Survival

DISCLAIMER: I'm a poor Uni student... don't sue me... yadda yadda yadda. Star Wars and all the wonderful characters therein belong to George Lucas and some studio. I make no profit, I just get hysterical joy from writing down all the ideas that bounce around in my head. Emalda and the Ekash belong to me. If anybody, including George Lucas, wants to borrow them, they have to ask first.  
RATING: PG-13  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: You only have to have seen the movies for this to make sense. There are spoilers for JA #1-16 and Jedi Search.  
PLEASE NOTE!! - Since I have been separated from my computer for a long time, I revised the entire story and as of the 18th of January 2003, I have added the character of Georeb.   
SUMMARY: A desperate Leia calls for help. In the past, Padawan Anakin and Padawan Obi-Wan hear her call. As a result the young Jedi find both themselves, and their Masters, dragged into an adventure that will change their lives forever.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
STAR WARS: A LIFE OF THEIR OWN  
  
Leia leaned back against the wall of the air duct, waiting for Luke to return. He had gone to scout the ducts ahead, leaving Leia in the widened area of the duct. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were stretched out beside her. Qui-Gon was awake and seemed more alert than before but Leia didn't dare speak to him. They must be fairly close to the corridor because every few minutes she could hear the sounds of guards talking as they made their rounds. Apart from that, there was a silence in which every movement could be heard as loud as an ion cannon.  
  
She wasn't sure how long it had been since she had last eaten. It seemed an age ago to her weary body but there was still a mission of sabotage to complete. It had been a rescue mission, of course, but Leia had already been rescued. Now they needed to disable Natheb's Force machine so the New Republic Fleet could attack the Ekash homeworld. Leia was aware that the speed with which the Fleet had been assembled and dispatched would have called for an immediate and unanimous vote from her fellow Senators - in other words, a miracle.  
  
Qui-Gon shifted his body slightly, the sudden rustling startling Leia. She crawled towards him concerned but he waved her away. He struggled to sit upright but had to bend over awkwardly because of his height. Leia moved to help him and this time he smiled gratefully. He made as if to say something but she shook her head in warning and laid a finger across her lips. Almost as if to prove the point, they began to hear the murmur of guards passing beneath them. Qui-Gon's soft eyes flashed with understanding. So they sat opposite each other in silence, waiting for Luke to return.  
  
It was the first time Leia had been alone with the stern old Jedi Master. He was a very large man with long hair that was just beginning to go grey. He returned her regard comfortably, making her wonder what he would think of her. Did he see the battle-hardened rebel who had lost too many friends and relatives or did he see the pampered politician and diplomat who held fast to bureaucracy in a world of uncertainty and violence? Obi-Wan's eyes fluttered open, catching Qui-Gon's attention. Qui-Gon leant over the groggy Obi-Wan, placing a finger over his lips to indicate silence. Obi-Wan gave a small nod in answer.   
  
Qui-Gon laid a questioning hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. Obi-Wan nodded as in response to some unknown question. Qui-Gon gently slid his arms around Obi-Wan's shoulders and lifted the boy into a sitting position. Obi-Wan smiled and rested bonelessly against the duct wall, his eyes closing and his braid falling across his face. Qui-Gon tenderly tucked the braid back into its place. Leia had to smile at the affection between them. Qui-Gon was more than an experienced Jedi Master, he was practically a father. Leia knew better than anybody that sometimes a friend could be more of a father to a child than the man who officially bore the title. The role was more voluntary perhaps but once it was assumed, it was never fully surrended.  
  
Satisfied that his apprentice was well, Qui-Gon sat back against the wall once more. He returned his gaze to Leia, the tenderness hidden once more but now Leia knew what to look for. Now she could look past the seriousness of his expression to see the softness in his eyes. Would time teach him to see more of her? To see the joy of a sister who cherished her brother, the contentment of a mother who adored her children and the passion of a woman who was still very much in love with her roguish husband? Leia hoped he would. She had to admit that she selfishly wished that the Jedi would be stranded in her time for a bit longer, just so she could get to know them better.  
  
The murmur of guards returned and Qui-Gon straightened slightly, listening intently. Obi-Wan's eyes shot open and he looked to Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon placed his finger across his lips again. Following his Master's lead, Obi-Wan remained perfectly still. Leia hadn't known that Jedi could be that still and unmoving. She began to worry that maybe the two Jedi had stopped breathing but then the murmur of the guards faded. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan relaxed again and Leia let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Qui-Gon smiled reassuringly at Leia. It was the middle of a battle zone and Leia was exchanging smiles with a Jedi Master who had died before she was born. It seemed that when in the presence of Jedi, she overflowed with sentimentality - perhaps there was more of her mother in her than she thought.  
  
There came the echo of someone moving down the air duct towards them. Leia turned to watch the end of the air duct. She noticed Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's hands instinctively moving towards the lightsabres that had been taken from them. All three of them were unarmed against any enemy who might be coming. At the same time that Leia spotted a figure crawling down the air duct, she heard the murmur of the guards returning. Whether friend or foe, the noise the figure was making would be easily heard by the guards below.   
  
"Luke?" whispered Leia.  
The figure kept moving as if he hadn't heard. Leia called again, slightly louder. This time the figure paused and waved in greeting. It was Luke but he still didn't know about the guards. He began moving towards her again. Leia crawled towards him, shaking her head and pressing a finger to her lips. At last Luke seemed to get the message and froze. Turning around, Leia saw that Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had stilled for the second time. All they could do was hope they had stopped the noise in time. The murmur of the guards grew louder and then stopped directly beneath them. This time Leia did stop breathing. The murmur began again and the unseen guards continued down the corridor. Leia sighed again and smiled at Luke. Luke shrugged apologetically and crawled to Leia's side.   
  
Leaning towards her ear, he whispered, "I've found a way out of the ducts."  
"Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are awake," Leia whispered back.  
"Good. Let's go. Quietly."  
Leia crawled back to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan was sitting up without the support of the wall now and Leia hoped he could move on his own. Leia signalled for them to follow. Once she was sure they were moving, she led the way down the duct towards Luke. Luke's head was tilted to the side as he listened with Force enhanced senses for the return of the guards. Leia reached Luke's side and turned around to wait for the other two.  
  
Qui-Gon was halfway along the duct, with Obi-Wan in tow, when Luke signalled for silence. The murmur of the guards faded in and out like clockwork. At Luke's wave, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan began moving again. Obi-Wan's braid fell across his face and he stopped for a moment to tuck it back in place. Then he began moving again to catch up to Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon reached Leia and turned to wait for his Padawan. Obi-Wan was still only halfway across due to the delay. At a frantic signal from Luke, Obi-Wan froze.  
  
The murmur of the guards came down the corridor from the opposite direction. The noise grew louder until they were directly beneath Leia and the Jedi. Then the voices stopped. There was no sound for a minute. Then the duct floor on which Obi-Wan was crouching was peppered with blaster bolts. They burst through the thin metal, sending shrapnel into the air. Obi-Wan slid backwards down the duct, away from the deadly fire. Leia could feel Qui-Gon tense beside her. Behind her, she heard Luke shifting. Then there was the hiss of a lightsabre igniting and Luke's lightsabre flashed in the confined space. He cut the duct floor out from under himself and disappeared from sight. As the blaster fire aimed at Obi-Wan stopped abruptly, Qui-Gon thrust himself down the duct to help his apprentice. Left alone, Leia peered down the hole to see Luke madly swinging his lightsabre into the half-dozen guards in the corridor below. A loose blaster bolt burst through the hole she was looking through. Only Leia's relexes saved her.  
  
Now Leia could only hear the fight and see the bodies of two guards that had already fallen. An abandoned blaster slid across the corridor into Leia's sight. Leia was reminded that she was a soldier and her brother needed her. Taking a deep breath, she threw herself through the hole. The drop was further than she imagined and she landed further from the blaster than she expected. Fortunately the guards were preoccupied with Luke. Leia rolled, scooping up the blaster and ending in a crouch. Now she could see the fight clearly.  
  
Georeb and three guards were firing at Luke. Luke pivoted on his left foot, swinging low with his lightsabre. He deflected two blaster bolts aside and brought his lightsabre up across one of the guard's weapons, sheering off the end. The unarmed guard turned and fled down the corridor. On Luke's backswing, he swung flatly deflecting three bolts. One of the bolts deflected back into the guards. Now only Georeb and one guard remained. They split up, coming at Luke from both sides. Luke charged towards the guard, swinging his lightsabre in a high arch. Leia fired at Georeb as he aimed at Luke's back.  
  
With a shout of pain, Georeb fell backwards onto the floor of the corridor. He looked directly at Leia, his gaze accusing. It was Leia's turn to feel remorse. Georeb's eyes rolled up and his head fell back limply. Another good man dying for what he believed was a good cause. Leia swallowed, disgusted with herself. Her grip tightened around her blaster. Her wedding band dug painfully into her finger. She held her hand out to look at the ring.  
  
As she gazed at it, thinking of her husband, Luke appeared at her side. Luke was watching her with concern. To Luke, Georeb had been nothing more than one of countless minions, someone to be killed.  
"Thankyou Leia," said Luke. "I'd forgotten about the guard behind me," he smiled.  
Leia doubted that he had but she accepted the gratitude anyway.  
"You better thank me again," she told him, pushing down depressing thoughts.  
Luke frowned then raised his eyebrows questioningly. Leia smiled and pointed at Georeb's body.  
"That," she said. "Is the Ekash who escorted me to my cell. He is also the guard who took the lightsabres of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan."  
Luke smiled widely, "We now have three lightsabres?"  
"Three Jedi and an experienced rebel," Leia corrected him. "What more do we need?"  
  
* * * * *  
  
Emalda sat at the Fahren's controls, watching the New Republic Fleet with wide eyes. Ben came up to sit beside her. She turned to smile at him, awkwardly. 'Hell-bent-on-revenge' she could do but nice? It seemed a lifetime ago that Emalda had tried to be nice to anybody. It truly was a lifetime ago, Yulana's lifetime. Ben smiled back pleasantly and looked out at the New Republic Fleet.  
"Natheb will be stopped. You do know that, don't you?" he asked quietly.  
"Natheb's got more tricks up his sleeve than you know," Emalda scowled.  
Here Emalda was at least trying to think about the future but people had to keep bringing up the present.   
"Why don't you just attack and get it over with?" she asked harshly.  
Ben blinked in surprise but then answered as if she hadn't heard her bitter anger.  
  
"Natheb is using a machine to trick the pilots into not seeing their target. Until we disable the illusion, the Fleet can't move," Ben said patiently. "We have to hope that the three Jedi still on the planet can find the machine."  
Ashamed of her outburst, Emalda felt compelled to offer advice, "It's not the machine they need to find. They just need to cut off the signal."  
"How do they do that?"  
"I don't know what they want to do but I would just take out the satellite dish."  
"Would you now?"  
  
Emalda wavered under Ben's seeking gaze, "That's what Yulana would have done."  
"Yulana?"  
"My sister. The scientist who built the machine was our mother. She realized what Natheb was like and fled the planet. She tried to convince us to go with her but we refused. Natheb was the only one who would give us work and our people are very afraid of the rest of the galaxy. After she left, Yulana became convinced that our mother was right. She told me she was going to flee too but Natheb must have caught her... she had an accident."  
"I'm very sorry."  
Emalda felt the tears brimming in her eyes and turned to the starscape outside.  
  
"Yulana loved spacevessels. She built the Fahren herself. She would have loved to see this fleet," Emalda admitted, the words tumbling out. "She would have loved to have met Anakin, too. Piloting was just in her blood. It's what she always wanted to be."  
"And what about you?" asked Ben. "What did you want to be?"  
At the change of conversation Emalda smirked, "You'd never guess."  
  
"Mechanic?"  
"No."  
"Mercenary?"  
"No."  
"Demolition worker?"  
"No."  
"All right then," said Ben. "I give up. What did you want to be?"  
Emalda pursed her lips, wondering if he would laugh at her. His gaze remained steady and pleasant. He wanted to know and for some reason, she wanted to tell.  
"I always wanted to be a dancer."  
  
For a moment Ben was speechless in surprise. Emalda couldn't conceal her smile of triumph. She, a mere mortal, had managed to shock her invincible saviour. Then Ben broke into a smile too and they began to laugh together. Ben was shaking his head in disbelief, his blue eyes shining with mirth.  
"By the Force, I would never have guessed that," he admitted.  
"You'll have to see me dance some time."  
"Very well, then. I will."  
"Promise?"  
"I promise."  
Still chuckling, they both turned back to the starscape. Emalda felt relieved, as if some of the weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Both Emalda and Yulana's beautiful ship had embarked on their maiden voyages. While the spirit of Yulana would always be with the Fahren, Emalda had a promise. It wasn't much but it was a future and one that Emalda could look forward to.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Obi-Wan landed heavily on the corridor floor. Qui-Gon reached out to steady him. Obi-Wan straightened, wincing in pain. Now that he was standing upright, Leia could see how lucky the young man was to have survived the ambush. His clothes were singed where blaster bolts had grazed past him. Fast reflexes had ensured he had suffered nothing more than a few minor burns and cuts.  
"It's a good thing you Jedi wear so many layers of clothing," Leia told him thoughtfully.  
Obi-Wan nodded ruefully in agreement, "It's nothing serious."  
"We've got something to cheer you up," said Luke, coming to stand beside Leia.  
He held out the two lightsabres that he had recovered. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan took them gratefully, more at ease now they could defend themselves.  
  
"Now we have a machine to sabotage," said Leia.  
The others followed her down the corridor, towards the room in which the machine was kept. They hadn't gone far when Luke's commlink beeped. Leia and the others kept an eye out for guards while he talked, Leia listening in to the conversation.  
"Luke here," he answered.  
"It's Ben," came the answer. "I've been told that you should try and take out a satellite dish."  
"What about the machine?" frowned Luke.  
"Worry about it later. The satellite dish is apparently easier to get to and the machine is practically useless without it."  
"Where is this satellite dish?"  
"It's apparently hidden in the rooftop garden of the building you're in. It's camouflaged and impossible to see from the air. On the ground it should be easy."  
"We'll do what we can. Luke out."  
  
Luke turned to the others, "There's been a change of plans."  
"Let's discuss this elsewhere," said Qui-Gon tersely. "Guards are coming this way."  
Luke and Leia led the way down the corridors, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan watching behind them for pursuit. The design of the tunnels began to change as they moved through different sections, always just one step ahead of an oblivious patrol. They were watching for stairs or elevators but as they had moved into the older parts of the building, there were none to be seen. The group moved past the sleeping quarters and then the showers. Just after they passed the kitchens, they came to a bricked dead end.  
  
"That was unsuccessful," grumbled Leia.  
"A problem easily fixed," said Qui-Gon. "We'll backtrack a couple of metres and go another way."  
They turned about and headed back. As they passed the kitchens, Obi-Wan's stomach growled. Leia smiled as Obi-Wan muttered an apology. Then Obi-Wan froze, his eyes widening.  
"Wait a minute. The kitchen..." he said.  
He jogged away from the group into the kitchens.  
"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon called but Obi-Wan didn't answer.  
  
The others followed to find Obi-Wan standing triumphantly in the middle of the kitchen. The kitchens were large and sterile. There was a huge table in the centre, utensils hanging from the ceiling and a large stove and chimney in the far wall. Obi-Wan was plainly pleased with himself but trying and failing to remain dignified.  
"We don't have time to stop," said Luke cautiously. "We've got to get to that roof."  
"The chimney," said Obi-Wan cheerfully.  
Leia looked at the large old chimney over the stove that disappeared into the ceiling. More than a metre wide, it was designed to feed an army. Then the answer clicked and she grinned at Obi-Wan.  
"Now that's a good idea," said Leia. "If we need to go up, why don't we take the chimney?"  
Qui-Gon and Luke looked to the chimney in surprise.  
"Good thinking Padawan," nodded Qui-Gon.  
  
Finally Luke smiled too. This time Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan led the way, finding handholds in the brickwork. The chimney was darker and dirtier than the ducts but there was more room to move and fresh air blowing on their faces. Leia came after them, followed by Luke. Without the aid of Jedi training, Leia found the climb harder than the others. Where the others wore combat boots, she was wearing sandals. The sandals didn't last long, the straps fraying and snapping. Luke caught one before it fell and tucked it away but the other was missed. Leia watched it as it fell from sight, dimly hearing the noise as it hit the stove far below. It was easier to climb with her toes but the bricks were rough against the skin of her feet.  
  
Above her, Qui-Gon sneezed. It sent down an explosion of ashes and soot on top of the other three. Obi-Wan coughed and spluttered while Leia gagged at the awful taste. Below them, Luke grimaced.  
"Sorry," Qui-Gon whispered.  
"It's alright," Luke whispered back. "Just keep moving."  
They continued, arms and legs aching and burning. Finally, when Leia looked up, Qui-Gon had disappeared. Her first thought was to wonder how Qui-Gon had fallen past without her noticing. Then she saw Qui-Gon's arm reaching out to Obi-Wan. The top of the chimney ended in a bend and no light could be seen. Obi-Wan took the helping hand and disappeared.  
  
Leia moved up next and blindly took Qui-Gon's hand. Grunting, she pulled herself out of the vent into the fresh air. A beautiful night sky greeted her and the rooftop was cool against her abused feet. Obi-Wan lay on his back, panting. Leia heartily agreed with that sentiment. From what Leia could see, the rooftop was huge. It was not so much a building as a complex. Most of it was made of synthetic materials but down the far end was a collection of trees. She pointed it out to Luke when he joined her. Qui-Gon pulled Obi-Wan to his feet and they set off again.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Anakin watched his mother laughing. She was dancing with a bearded man on the desert sands of Tatooine. Anakin sat nearby, humming a tune for them to dance to. His mother looked older than Anakin remembered her but then he hadn't seen her for ten years. His mother was gazing deeply into the eyes of the man, her arms around him tightly.  
"Shmi?" said the man, his accent stong. "I want you to be my wife."  
"Cliegg," gasped Anakin's mother. "I would love to be your wife."  
They smiled at each other and continued to dance. Suddenly she noticed her son's presence, "Anakin what are you doing here?"  
"I've come to see you, Mom. I missed you."  
"Honey, I missed you too. You've grown up so handsome. I'm so proud of you."  
  
The man tightened his arms around her, "He is handsome. He'll be a heartbreaker some day."  
She smiled warmly at the man and then turned back to Anakin.  
"Honey, run along now. You have people to save, adventures to have. You don't have to worry about me, I'll be all right. I'll be here when you get back."  
"But Mom..."  
"No buts. Off you go. People are waiting for you, can't you hear them?"  
  
In the distance Anakin could indeed hear voices. His mother and the man looked back at each other and they both began to hum and dance. With a last look at his mother, Anakin stood and walked off across the sand dunes. As he walked further and the sound of their humming faded, the sound of voices became louder. He could hear Qui-Gon's patient voice, his Master's scolding tone and a third, much younger voice. Anakin wasn't quite sure who it was but it was somebody very important to him. It sounded so familiar.  
  
He kept walking, though the sun was getting hot. The voices got louder, calling more insistently.  
"I'm coming!" Anakin cried out.  
The voices just kept calling and Anakin kept walking, although the sand was everywhere. It was in his hair, in his boots, in his clothes. Just before Anakin collapsed from exhaustion, he recognised the other voice. It was Apprentice Obi-Wan, calling for Anakin to get a move on.  
  
Anakin woke up to find himself still lying on the floor of the Fahren's cockpit. His Master's robe was tucked beneath his head and he could hear his Master's voice. Anakin lifted his head to see the Ekash woman sitting in the pilot's seat and Master Ben standing beside her. They were looking out at the starscape and the amassed New Republic Fleet.  
"Corrusant is where I grew up. Well, I grew up in a very secluded part," Ben was saying. "It was a while ago and many things have changed now."  
"At least you've seen it before," sighed the Ekash woman. "I've never been even this far from home before."  
"I'm sure you'll get there eventually," said Ben, laying his hand over hers.  
She looked into his eyes and he returned the look for a moment before he turned away. Anakin could never remember his Master looking at a woman like that. Deciding he must be still dreaming, Anakin shut his eyes and drifted back to sleep.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Leia squinted at the approaching garden. A tight ring of large purple ferns wound around the outside of the large rooftop garden, obscuring most of it from view. Behind the row of ferns, Leia could just make out another ring of smaller flowering plants.  
"Is Natheb likely to have noticed our absence?" Qui-Gon asked. "If he has, we should be wary for a trap."  
"One of the guards got away to raise the alarm," admitted Luke. "We'll have to be very careful then. Watch each other's backs."  
Leia tightened her grip on her blaster.  
  
Luke began to circle to one side of the garden, Leia following. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan made their way to the other side. Leia looked around. The rooftop was completely exposed here, except for the garden itself although that was almost fifty metres wide. A ledge followed the very edge of the rooftop all the way around and twenty metres behind them was an assortment of vents and chimney openings. Black smoke was beginning to waft out of the chimney they had climbed. If they were going to escape, they needed a new way out. Leia caught Luke's attention and pointed at the smoke. Luke turned to look, frowning thoughtfully.  
  
A storm of blaster fire burst out of the garden towards them. Luke pivoted almost automatically, his lightsabre igniting. His lightsabre swung back and forth across his body, intercepting the bolts before they could hit. Leia returned fire furiously with her blaster. The two of them advanced towards the garden. Leia snipered any guards she could hit while Luke protected both of them from the enemy fire.  
They reached the ferns and Leia crouched behind one of them, firing into the garden. Without the responsibility of protecting Leia, Luke could now move freely. He somersaulted into the air, flying over the ferns and landing in the middle of the gardens. His blade was deadly while the blasters of the guards were useless in such close quarters. Broad sweeps severed limbs and destroyed weapons. Leia huddled out of sight, snipering any of the guards who got clear enough to take a shot. Two of the guards stumbled away from Luke, raising their blasters. Leia took out one of them. The other turned away from Luke and fired at Leia.  
  
Leia hurled herself backwards behind the fern, the fronds above her catching fire. The fire quickly spread out to engulf the entire fern. Leia rolled to the next fern, dodging enemy fire. She set up camp again, taking out the guard who was still firing at her. From her new vantage point, Leia could see Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan fighting. They too had reached the trees, fighting in a close formation. They fought back to back, pivoting in tandem and perfect teamwork. As Qui-Gon swept low, Obi-Wan would strike high. The two were moving in practised synchronisation, the Force flowing between them. Leia was awed by the display. The two of them moved quickly, cutting through any of the guards who stood in their way. The guards were slowly being pushed deeper into the garden, past the still burning fern.  
  
"Who are you people?" demanded a loud voice.  
The guards instantly fell back, as far away from the Jedi as they could get. Most of them took cover behind the plants, watching uncertainly. Leia recognised that voice and she looked about for the familiar figure. Natheb stood behind the guards, surrounded by a second contingent that was clearly there for his protection. Leia crouched lower beneath her cover, trying to remain hidden from Natheb's gaze. Luke turned to face Natheb, his Jedi robe settling around him.  
"We are Jedi Knights, sent to rescue a New Republic Minister," he said clearly. "You can either allow us to accomplish our mission and leave or face the consequences of your actions."  
Leia could not believe how regal Luke looked, like he had when he had set off to battle Darth Vader to the death. He took no pleasure in his task but he persevered regardless.  
  
"Jedi?" asked Natheb, smiling pleasantly. "I was under the impression that the Jedi had been wiped out, a plague that was cured long ago."  
Qui-Gon spoke up, "We are the Jedi, who served the Old Republic and died with its destruction. Is it so strange that with the rise of the New Republic should come the rise of a new Jedi Order?"  
"Three maverick Jedi aren't much of a Jedi order, if you should ask my opinion."  
"It is a beginning," admitted Qui-Gon.  
"And we do not ask your opinion," said Obi-Wan darkly, challenge shining in his blue eyes.  
Luke smiled again, mocking Natheb's expression, "And there are more than three of us."  
  
"There will be three fewer Jedi by morning," Natheb promised.   
Leia noticed the guards that had been fighting were still slowly edging back from the Jedi, seeking even more cover. Luke, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan now stood alone amongst the flowering plants, crushing the stems beneath their boots. They were too much of a target. Leia wanted to warn them but to do so would reveal her position.  
"I am told that the Jedi have sharp eyes," said Natheb.  
Natheb and his guards took cover as a small cannister skidded across the ground and landed at Obi-Wan's feet. Smoke began to leak from it, then rays of light erupted. As the Jedi shielded their eyes, Leia ducked back behind the fern. Even with her arms over her head and her eyes squeezed shut, she could still feel the warmth of the light on her face. The light faded and Leia raised her head, blinking rapidly.  
  
She peered around the fern to find her companions. To her surprise, they were all still standing. They appeared unharmed except for the way they kept blinking their eyes. Leia guessed the canister had been faulty. Then Natheb emerged again, looking triumphant, and Leia's hopes fell.  
"I look forward to seeing the mighty Jedi deflect blaster fire they can't see," he said cheerfully.  
Luke raised his head but his eyes weren't focused on Natheb, "You are not as clever as you think."  
Beside him, Obi-Wan reached out with a seeking hand. Qui-Gon stood frowning and blinking, shaking his head every few seconds. Leia realised that the three Jedi were now blind.  
  
The guards slowly edged back out of their hiding places, their confidence restored. Hearing their approach, Luke closed his eyes. Leia could feel him summoning the Force, gathering his strength. The first shot was fired, directly at Luke. His lightsabre swung upwards in a blur, knocking it away. Natheb didn't know that one of the first things a Jedi learns is to fight blindfolded. The guards began to lay down fire but the Jedi were prepared. Their movements were less flashy than before but they did the job.   
  
Natheb's smile congealed as the blinded Jedi continued to outfight his guards. Obi-Wan was gently waving his lightsabre back and forth across his body, his wrist flicking quickly whenever he sensed a blaster bolt coming his way. Beside him Qui-Gon held his lightsabre directly out in front of his body, twitching movements sending the bolts away to ricochet off the plants. Luke stood stock still, barely seeming to breathe unless a bolt came his way. Then he'd move quickly, stepping forward and sweeping it aside. He was gradually advancing towards Natheb's position but Natheb had yet to notice.  
  
Leia looked around at the guards, assessing the situation. There were perhaps ten guards crouching in the plants trying to take down the Jedi. Five more guards were standing by Natheb. The firing guards began to retreat as Luke came on. Instead of going directly backwards, they veered off to the left. Natheb's eyes bulged as he spotted Luke's advance and began to move backwards as well. Sensing the guard's movements, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan began to advance as well. The whole group was awkwardly moving around to the left of the garden, avoiding the centre. Leia hesitated a moment and then stood up.   
  
Keeping behind any cover she could find, she headed directly for the centre of the garden. The Jedi should be able to handle the guard's for a few minutes by themselves. As Leia approached, she could see the centre of the garden was another large ring of ferns and within that a ring of flowering plants and within that a small pool. As Leia approached, something felt wrong. It took her a moment to pinpoint it. The water wasn't moving. It was still, too still. As she got even closer, she realised why. The pool was a painting, as were the flowering plants. Inside the ring of real ferns was a smooth metal surface that had been painted to look like another part of the garden. Reaching up, Leia cleared away the fern fronds to get a better look. It was a satellite dish, only about three metres wide but perfectly camouflaged.  
  
Leia held up her blaster and took aim at the thinnest part of the base. Taking a few steps away, she steadied herself and fired. Shot after shot slammed into the base, melting the thin metal. The dish creaked and sagged to the ground. Leia examined the mess, finding one power cable still connecting the dish to the rest of the building. Leia aimed and blasted it away. An alarm began to ring.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Over the radio, Emalda heard the other pilots yelling in triumph as the Ekash homeworld appeared before their very eyes.  
"Fighter squadrons enter the atmosphere and fly over the cities," came an order. "Do not open fire until the Ekash have been given a chance to surrender."  
Ben sprang up from Anakin's side to join Emalda at the controls.  
"Are we going down?" asked Emalda.  
"I don't see why not," shrugged Ben. "It's your ship. Contact the Millenium Falcon and see if Han Solo wants to come with us."  
  
Ben went back to Anakin and lifted him gently into a seat. He strapped him firmly in and then found a seat for himself.  
Emalda contacted the Millenium Falcon, "Captain Solo. Are you coming down to the planet?"  
"Will do, Fahren. See you down there."  
Emalda took the Fahren's controls and guided it back towards home.  
  
The Fahren was running smoothly despite the damage it had sustained earlier. It entered the atmosphere cleanly. The fighters began to fly in formation through the morning skies, causing panic in the Ekash cities below.  
"Let's go see what Natheb is doing now," muttered Emalda.  
With the Millenium Falcon in tow, the Fahren sped away from the larger cities and over the forest. In the middle of the wilderness Emalda caught sight of Natheb's base. Since it was permanently manned, a small city had been built around it. The force shield prevented the Fahren from entering or firing on the city but Emalda flew as close as she could, watching the guards running in a panic. The Falcon and a squadron of fighters followed behind her. As she flew by, she could just make out the glow of three lightsabres on a distant rooftop.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Leia sprinted through the garden towards the sounds of the fight. She hoped that the three blinded Jedi were still all right. She heard the sound of a ship flying overhead and she stopped to look upwards. The belly of the familiar Millenium Falcon soared above her head. Although some distance above her, the sight still gave her comfort. She ploughed on to find the others.  
  
The three Jedi were all unharmed and still alert but by now most of the guards were pointing fearfully at the circling fleet. Natheb looked up sullenly at her arrival, a blaster held rigidly in his grip.  
"The satellite dish has been destroyed," she said.  
Luke smiled wryly as Natheb gasped in shock.  
"Natheb," called Luke. "Surrender to us and the Fleet will not open fire."  
Natheb growled but then looked around him. His guards were cowering in fear, unused to foreign ships and unprepared for an airborne assault.  
"Nobody else has to die here, Natheb."  
Natheb angrily threw his blaster to the ground.  
  
"And so the New Republic gains another planet for it's territories," he snarled.  
"This is not a war over boundaries," said Luke. "This is a rescue mission. Since it is complete, the Fleet will arrest those responsible and then leave the planet."  
"If you say so, Jedi," said Natheb, disbelievingly.  
Leia waved her blaster at him and Natheb raised his hands above his head. The rest of his guards seemed almost relieved to be disarmed and marched amicably downstairs to turn off the force shield. It was only forty-eight hours later that the entire Fleet left orbit and the Ekash homeworld was once again, isolated and alone.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Anakin lay in his hospital bed, on Corrusant, looking at the ceiling. It wasn't a particularly interesting ceiling but the bulky bandages around his head made it difficult to look anywhere else. There was movement at the door. Anakin made an effort to lift his head to see who had come in. It was a nurse, guiding a dishevelled Obi-Wan.  
"Hope you don't mind," the nurse said to Anakin. "We thought you might like some company."  
"No, I don't mind," Anakin smiled.  
At last, there was something to relieve his boredom. Anakin's neck muscles began to tire and he let his head fall back onto the pillow. He listened as the nurse let Obi-Wan collapse in the bed beside him. The nurse fussed for a few moments and then left.  
  
"Hello, Obi-Wan," said Anakin.  
"Hello, Anakin," said Obi-Wan.  
"I can't see you at the moment, so what's wrong with you?" asked Anakin.  
"I'm blind."  
"So you can't see me either? And here I thought I had a problem."  
  
Obi-Wan chuckled. Anakin reached out a hand, groping blindly. Obi-Wan's wandering hand met his and they gave each other a comforting squeeze.  
"I'm glad you're okay, Obi-Wan," said Anakin.  
"I'm glad you're okay, too," said Obi-Wan.  
"Obi-Wan?"  
"Yes?"  
"Whatever it was that you did... that made you scream, I mean... don't do it again."  
Obi-Wan squeezed Anakin's hand, "I won't. Don't worry."  
Anakin grinned, clutching Obi-Wan's hand tighter. The warmth of his skin was nice after the cold, sterile hospital and the hardness of the Fahren's cockpit. When the nurse came back to check on them, she found them both sleeping peacefully, their hands still linked.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Emalda stood by the side of the trash compactor, feeling an ache in her throat. There was a small audience assembled, including Leia and Ben. Solemnly Leia led Emalda to the controls and pointed to the switch that was needed. Leia's face was grave, sympathy foremost on her thoughts but Emalda paid no attention to Leia. Emalda looked at the Force machine, one last look at the cause of so much trouble, so much pain. The ache in her throat grew and she almost couldn't breathe. Her hands were shaking as she reached out to the switch. She flicked it and the trash compactor slowly activated. Emalda stood there and watched as Natheb's Force machine was slowly crushed, the metal buckling, the circuits coming loose. Emalda felt the tears begin to fall but she wouldn't take her eyes away from the sight. She wanted to be sure it was gone for good.  
  
It was done. The machine was gone, nothing more than scrap metal. Ben appeared beside her and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. Emalda turned away from the trash compactor and lowered her head against Ben's shoulder. Ben's arms wound around her and, god help her... she was comforted by their warmth. She hugged him back, sobbing openly. As she cried, the ache in her throat diminished, washed away. The last of the burden was eased from her shoulders. It was the only time Emalda had ever cried for her sister Yulana and she knew it would also be the only time. In a way, she was glad Ben was here as a witness but she was even happier that he was here for Emalda herself.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Leaving Emalda asleep in her rooms, Leia and Ben returned to the medical wing to see the others. Luke and Qui-Gon shared a room. They were talking in low voices when Leia and Ben came in.  
"How are you?" asked Leia.  
Qui-Gon smiled up at a point over Leia's shoulder, "We're told that the blindness should be only temporary."  
"Fortunately," agreed Luke.  
"We thought you'd like to know that the courts have imprisoned Natheb," said Leia. "He won't be out of there for at least fifteen years. Maybe longer since many of the Ekash citizens are coming forward as witnesses."  
"He was not the sole ruler of the Ekash homeworld?" asked Luke. "The planet's government will suffer."  
"He was not the ruler, at all. He was nothing more than the head of the military," Leia assured him. "His late brother, Georeb, was the politician. Apparently Georeb persuaded most of the actual government to support them and Natheb blackmailed and threatened anyone who opposed them. The government has been rather passionate about putting stricter controls on the military and opening diplomatic relations with the New Republic."  
  
"So we can leave the politics in Leia's capable hands," said Luke.  
"Do you feel up to a discussion?" asked Ben, leaning against the edge of Qui-Gon's bed.  
"A discussion about what?" asked Luke.  
"The future," said Ben. "About what we do now."  
"I don't know how we get back to our own time, I don't even know if it's possible," said Qui-Gon.  
"Even if you could get back, would you?" Leia spoke up.  
"Why not?" asked Qui-Gon.  
"We know from history records that we all gave our lives in the fight against the Sith. Maybe this is a second chance," suggested Ben.  
"A second chance?" frowned Qui-Gon.  
"Another life," added Leia. "A life of your own, to live for yourselves and not for others."  
  
Qui-Gon was silent for a moment. He looked between the direction he thought Ben was in and then the direction he thought Leia was in.  
"I think you two have already decided our futures for us," he muttered.  
"I have a suggestion," admitted Ben. "And I will probably go ahead with it, whether or not you do. I can't speak for the Apprentices either."  
"Where the Master leads, the Apprentice will follow," quoted Qui-Gon.  
Luke frowned, "He's right, Qui-Gon. Your Apprentices joined the Jedi Order of the Old Republic. Your current situation may require a new commitment."  
"I'm sure your Padawan will stay with you," Ben assured Qui-Gon. "All we're saying is that we should ask. Make sure they're not staying with us simply because they have no where else to go."  
"All right," Qui-Gon agreed. "So, aside from that, what is it that you want to do, Ben?"  
  
Ben paused and Leia thought she might have seen him blush but it was difficult to be sure beneath the beard.  
"Emalda knows the scientist who created Natheb's Force machine," he said. "Some of the Senators, including Leia, have expressed concern about this scientist's whereabouts. Emalda has offered the use of her ship to search for the scientist."  
"And you want to go with her?"  
"Yes."  
  
Luke looked up, turning in Qui-Gon's direction. "There is another possibility. You could always help me in training new Jedi."  
Qui-Gon laughed, "Train an entire order?"  
He composed himself before turning back to Luke with a more diplomatic answer, "At this point, I doubt my own commitment. I could not handle any new students, definitely not until Obi-Wan is knighted. I will go with Ben and Emalda. I will explore the changes the years have made to the galaxy. Once I am sure that I can continue, I will return to help you, Luke."  
Luke sighed, "Somehow I thought that might be your answer. I'll leave a light on for you, for all of you. Always."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Anakin and Obi-Wan lay next door, listening to the conversation.  
"What do you think?" asked Anakin.  
"I'm going. I want to see what else has changed in the galaxy," answered Obi-Wan. "Besides, I don't think I could leave Master Qui-Gon."  
Anakin was silent, chewing his bottom lip. He was remembering the arguments he and his Master had, his Master's criticisms and his own mounting frustration with the entire Jedi Order. He remembered his Master's voice - "You're a strong one, Anakin. Have I ever told you that?" He felt the vibrant Force signature of the Apprentice by his side.  
"I'll go," he decided. "For now."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Almost thirty years earlier, Mace Windu had stood alone in the Council Chambers of the Jedi Temple on Corrusant. He was watching the traffic through the window, lost in his thoughts. He turned as heard Master Yoda's walking stick.  
"Troubled, are you," observed the diminuitive Jedi Master.  
"I am concerned about these fainting fits," Mace admitted. "I fear they may have unforseen consequences."  
"Consequences, yes, for all things are consequences," agreed Yoda.  
  
"You are not worried?" asked Mace.  
"About this, I worry not," said Yoda. "I have already meditated on the matter. Happiness, this I sense. Our attention is better used for more pressing concerns such as the upcoming Army of the Republic Vote and the return of Senator Armidala to Corrusant. Also have we a meeting with Chancellor Palpatine, have you forgotten?"  
Mace nodded in resignation and followed Yoda from the Council Chambers.  
As he left Mace muttered to himself, "Happiness? But happiness for who?"  
  
THE END  
  
Author's note: Yay! It's finished. Now I can have a life again until I get the next idea! Please let me know if you liked it, it's much longer than my normal fare. May the Force be with all of you. 


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